Anaktuvuk Pass prototype home

Anaktuvuk Pass Prototype

Anaktuvuk Pass Prototype Home CCHRC partnered with the Tagiugmiullu Nunamiullu Housing Authority (TNHA) and the village of Anaktuvuk Pass to design and construct an affordable, energy efficient, healthy home that incorporated indigenous qualities like earth-berming and a sod roof. Through a partnership with Iligsagvik College in Barrow, local student labor was trained to build the…

Quinhagak Prototype

Quinhagak Prototype Home The Native Village of Kwinhagak (NVK) asked CCHRC to partner with the residents to design a home that is affordable, energy efficient, and healthy. Project Background CCHRC designed a prototype-home with the people of Quinhagak, on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. The Yup’ik Eskimo village of 700 is on the Kanektok River on the…

Crooked Creek Prototype

Crooked Creek Prototype Home In May 2011, a flood destroyed about a quarter of the homes in Crooked Creek, a small village on the north bank of the Kuskokwim about 140 miles northeast of Bethel. Three and a half months later, volunteers framed the first replacement home in a single day, thanks to the quick…

combustion safety

Combustion Safety

Combustion Safety Combustion safety refers to the safe operation of combustion heating appliances, such as boilers and wood stoves, and goes hand in hand with healthy indoor air quality. Through a grant from Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, CCHRC conducted a combustion air evaluation in the Fairbanks area. The purpose of the study was to assess…

CCHRC Building Science Designs

CCHRC Prototypes

Our Design Projects The below prototypes and designs incorporate experimental building and energy technologies—such as super-insulated walls or adjustable foundations—aimed at improving the energy efficiency and affordability of housing. The goal is that these prototypes can be reproduced to provide much-needed housing. CCHRC has completed more than 12 prototype projects throughout all regions of Alaska.…

CCHRC Building Science

Building Science Overview

Building Science at CCHRC Building science is the intersection of many disciplines–physics, chemistry, engineering, and more. It requires an understanding of not just heat, air, and moisture, but also of climate, design, and occupant behavior. Why do we care about building science? Because you want a house that doesn’t make you sick and will last…

Building Envelope

Building Envelopes

Building Envelopes Building envelopes are the bread and butter of our research, with a major focus on developing enclosures that are cost-effective, durable, and highly energy efficient. CCHRC tests and develops a wide variety of building systems for various regions, from the cold dry climate of Interior Alaska to the wet, windy communities of the…

mechanical Systems

Mechanical Overview

Mechanical Systems Mechanical systems include all the heating, cooling, and air handling systems that are used to keep your home comfortable and healthy. Heating When it comes to mechanical systems, the first thing Alaskans typically think about is heating. Heat is vital to life in the north, and CCHRC looks at various ways of reducing…

Energy in Alaska

Energy Overview

Energy Overview Have you heard the saying about putting a drain plug in the bathtub before adding more water? That’s the same way we look at energy in a home. While the source of your energy is important (whether you heat with wood, diesel, or solar), it’s not the first priority in planning a house.…

Ventilation Overview

Ventilation Ventilation is critical in any climate because it replaces stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air, and flushes out potential pollutants caused by combustion appliances or offgassing materials. Ventilation is especially important in cold climates, where homes are often built tighter and allow less natural air leakage. Ventilation also controls indoor humidity, which is…