Just like you plug the bathtub drain before adding more
water, reducing energy demand should be the starting
point for any sustainability project.
CCHRC prototype homes have slashed energy demand
by more than 80%, saving homeowners thousands of
dollars a year and approaching affordable net-zero
energy construction in the world’s harshest climate.
Single-family homes in the arctic; university housing in
Fairbanks; teacher housing in the Yukon: in 2012, low-
energy homes across the state demonstrated the far-
reaching benefits of energy efficiency to communities.
Each new project helps advance our understanding of
building and mechanical systems and drive down
construction and operating costs. The 1,400-squarefoot
homes at the UAF Sustainable Village are on track to use
less than 200 gallons of heating oil a year thanks to
super-insulated envelopes and a combination of solar
thermal, biomass, and efficient heat distribution.
The research center also partners with industry
innovators, recently completing a report on the energy
and moisture performance of the Arctic Wall used by
some Alaska builders, coming soon to our online
Publications catalog.
CCHRC advances techniques along with builders, innovators, students, and Alaskans across the state.