Energy Efficiency and Housing Affordability - the Alaska Experience

Building energy efficient and affordable housing is challenging in any environment, but in Alaska it is even more formidable. Alaska is a rich mix of diverse geographic and climatic regions. There are marine rain forests with 200 inches of rain per year in the south-east, while areas in the interior of the state could be considered deserts. Soil types vary from solid rock to sand dunes to permafrost. Some areas stay below freezing while others never freeze.

Transportation and energy costs are usually very high. Waterways are still the main transportation routes. Some areas are supplied with cheap, natural gas, but others must add up to eight dollars per gallon onto the price of transported fuel. Heating a home in Alaska represents the highest housing cost outside the mortgage or rent.

The state has recognized the critical link between energy efficiency and housing affordability. The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), the state's housing finance agency, is working in partnership with builders and residential energy efficiency professionals on the Warm Home for Alaskans initiative. The program is an innovative public/private partnership.

Sam Halterman, technical director for the Alaska Craftsman Home Program explains, "The most important thing is that we're working cooperatively [builders and government] to develop a program to upgrade the housing stock. This will improve the coordination, technical base, and effectiveness and delivery between the programs. Our partnership comes directly from the successful Canadian experience in the R-2000 program." The Canadian Home Builders' Association works in partnership with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to develop energy efficient, affordable housing.

Features of Warm Homes for Alaska include home energy ratings, weatherization of low income families' homes, training and technical assistance on northern building science, financial incentives to purchase energy efficient homes or upgrade the efficiency of existing homes, and marketing.

Each of the three partners brings their own area of expertise. The AHFC, sponsor of Warm Homes for Alaska, oversees home financing programs including the Energy Efficient Mortgage Program, the Home Energy Loan Program, and Home Energy Rebate Program.

The Alaska Craftsman Home Program (ACHP), provides training to builders and energy efficiency professionals. State-of-the-art course are offered in northern building science and energy efficiency. The ACHP also certifies homes that meet stringent optimum energy efficiency standards (similar to R-2000).

The third player is Energy Rated Homes of Alaska, a public/private partnership between the AHFC and the state's housing industry. The program rates a home according to compliance with the State of Alaska's Building Energy Efficiency Standard. The rating allows the cost of energy improvements (and related energy savings) to be factored into the mortgage loan for people participating in the Home Energy Loan Program.

Delegates can learn more about the Alaska programs during Anchorage Winter Cities '94. Typifying their partnership, the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, Energy Rated Home of Alaska and the Alaska Craftsman Home Program, will be sharing a booth at the conference. Tours of two ACHP certified homes will also be available.

For more information contact:
Alaska Craftsman Home Program
(907) 258-2247
Energy Rated Homes Alaska
(907) 563-6749
Alaska Housing Finance Corporation
(907) 564-9276