An engineer from Fairbanks, Alaska, has built a house that is "kept toasty without fossil fuels and uses a mere fraction of the energy typically needed, even at 30 below."
Laurel Andrews reports on the work of Bruno and Judith Grunau to build a super energy-efficient home in Fairbanks, Alaska. According to Anderws, "Grunau is a research and testing engineer with the Cold Climate Housing Research Center, an organization which focuses on developing sustainable energy technology in sub-Arctic and Arctic climates. Judith Grunau is an architect."
"The home is considered 'net-zero ready," according to Andrews. "That means if the couple were to add solar panels to offset the monthly electric costs, they would be completely off the energy grid."
And for a bit of a perspective for those of us living in the Lower 48 about the conditions such a house would encounter in its lifetime of super efficiency: "Grunau makes one concession: Elevated from the valley’s temperature inversion, the house has never been hit with Fairbanks’ infamous minus-40-degree cold snaps. 'To be fair, I’m cheating a little bit,' Grunau said. The coldest temperature the house has faced is 30 below."
FULL STORY: Fairbanks engineer focused on energy efficiency brings his work home
Return to Normal...For the Unvaccinated?
Americans are experiencing their first near-normal holiday weekend, though masks are still required for all traveling at airports and on planes, buses and trains. We take a look back and forward at where the U.S. may be heading in the pandemic.
Industry Wins a Round Over Building Efficiency Requirements
New regulations prohibit cities from enacting stricter efficiency standards in new buildings.
Net-Zero Energy Homes Use Technology to Work With the Energy Grid
A housing development near Tampa will have high-tech smart homes with grid-optimized solar power.
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service