ABSN Programs
ABSN's main programmatic areas are Building Science Education, Village Energy Efficiency Upgrades & Training, Civic Engagement and Technical Assistance .
~Building Science Education~
Each year, ABSN conducts over 100 trainings all throughout Alaska for a variety of audiences such as residential contractors, housing authority staff, mechanical contractors, energy raters, home owners, Vo-tech students, rural facility & maintenance managers, real estate agents, home inspectors, carpenters, and other groups who request trainings. In addition to fee classes, ABSN would like to thank AHFC and EPA for providing funding to help facilitate many of our classes, especially those we conduct in rural Alaska. To view ABSN's latest fiscal year activity report of trainings conducted, click here.
As part of ABSN's Education Program we staff booths and informational tables at a variety of public events such as the seven home shows, Renewable Energy Fair, Rural Energy Conference, Step-it-Up, UA campus events, Earth Day, Lung Association events, and others as they arise. And also, coming soon in 2008, Alaska's first and only Green Building Products Guide will point consumers to where they can buy the the most efficient and responsible products retailed in Alaska. Each year ABSN also holds our Summer Symposium where we bring together Alaska's leading Building Science experts with the top national and international experts and hold two days of sessions on the latest building science and energy efficiency topics appropriate for Alaska's climate.
~Village Energy Efficiency Upgrades~
Village End Use Efficiency Measures (VEUEM) are upgrades performed in rural Alaskan community buildings. Starting in January 2005 ABSN has conducted work under an Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) contract with funding from the Denali Commission. In January 2007, ABSN completed work in 17 villages throughout Western Alaska to help them achieve energy savings by replacing or installing energy-efficient lighting, switch boxes, motion sensors, set back thermostats, weather stripping and low mass boilers. With the addition of new villages, ABSN will be conducting these upgrades and trainings in 45 rural communities throughout Western and South-central Alaska and the Interior.
Community selection, coordinated by AEA was based on the status of the respective village’s Rural Power System Upgrade (RPSU). The community either recently received or is slated to receive a new power system.
With high fuel prices, villages are working in cooperation with ABSN to expand our work, providing in-kind labor, free housing, and additional supplies. As a result, significant progress toward community energy efficiency is being achieved. Whenever possible, ABSN hires local labor and provides project-specific training along with boiler maintenance training. To view a copy of the summary of completed work in the 17 Phase I communities click here.
With Phase I complete, ABSN has now moved on to work in 15 Phase II Western villages in 2007-8 in: Nightmute, Brevig Mission, Chignik, False Pass, Nikolski, Pedro Bay, White Mountain, Atmautluak, Crooked Creek, Lower Kalskag, Upper Kalskag, Stoney River, Tooksook Bay, Tuluksak, and Tuntutuliak. ABSN recently added Phase III villages for work in 2008-9 including Kipnuk, Kwethluk, Unalakleet, Stebbins, Saint Michaels, Levelock, Ekwok, New Stuyahok and in the Interior/South-central region: Chitina, Takotna, Steven's Village, Arctic Village, and Hughes.
~Civic Engagement~
ABSN is actively involved in promoting Green Building Standards by working with government officials on state and local levels. Recently, ABSN helped generate grassroots support for the proposed major expansion of the Low Income Weatherization Program ($200 million) as well as new monies ($100 million) to be provided to Alaskan homeowners (regardless of income) for rebates on weatherization and energy retrofit projects on residences. The bill has passed the legislature and as of March 24, 2008, awaits Governor Palin's signature.
ABSN's Executive Director, Scott Anaya is also serving on the City of Anchorage's Sustainable Building Initiative Task Force which is drafting an ordinance to promote Green Building Standards in Anchorage. The basic premise of the ordinance is to require publicly funded buildings be built to a minimum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification. The ordinance also aims to provide incentives for private developers to build to a LEED Standard and offers rebates of building permit fees for buildings and homes built to either a LEED or National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Green Building Standard (NGBS).
Hats off to the Mat-Su Borough who has led the way and is already requiring publicly funded buildings and schools be built with a LEED certification. Work is also under way in the Fairbanks North Start Borough and ABSN will assist in whatever ways we can to help make green building the norm in all areas of our state.
~Technical Assistance~
Each year ABSN provides technical assistance to dozens of individuals and entities on a variety of building science topics. As energy prices continue to climb, especially in rural Alaska, this is a critical service ABSN provides across the state. Technical assistance can range from simply answering an email or phone call, to proofing building plans and energy systems, to providing hands-on technical training or inspection of the building envelope or mechanical systems. For the most recent completed fiscal year, ABSN provided technical assistance on approximately 175 occasions.
Sample clients include: AHFC, Energy Raters, Housing Authorities, Building America project in Hydaburg, Tribal Governments, Habitat for Humanity, homeowners, Residential Contractors, and a variety of other professions and entities.
Sample topics include: boiler sizing, vapor retarders, green building products, XPS foam, ice dams, AkWarm, non VOC paint, energy savings, lighting, tax credits, Remote Wall Systems and Outside Insulation Techniques, wet spray cellulose, ground source heat pumps, windows, attic and crawlspace ventilation, water heaters, soy based insulation, BEES, duct leakage testing, EnergyGuage, blower door testing questions, thermal loss for heated sidewalks, blueboard, caulks and foams, radiant heat, heat recovery ventilators, boiler fuel use, green design, and a whole host of other building related topics.