Uploaded September 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This video is the first in a short series in which we assess and improve the energy performance of a 20' x 20' cabin under construction in Fairbanks, Alaska, in IECC Climate Zone 8. The initial builder of the cabin framed it, installed a metal roof and insulated the floors, but along the way they made a number of choices that were less than ideal for Fairbanks winters. The property was sold before the cabin was completed, and the new owner contacted us for recommendations on how to best insulate and otherwise finish the cabin to maximize its energy efficiency on a tight budget.
Because the cabin was still in the framing stages and the interiors of the walls and roof were still exposed, it presented an opportunity to document some common thermal performance issues in these types of structures, and methods to remediate them. Videos in this series will address the three main aspects of the thermal envelope: the walls, roof, and floor. (There will also be a brief video about the cabin’s foundation). We’ll conclude with a review of an energy audit that will quantify how the changes made affect energy performance, and we'll also discuss how these improvements impact the building's durability and comfort.
We welcome questions and discussion in the comments and you can also reach us at info@cchrc.org.
CCHRC website: cchrc.org
CCHRC YouTube channel: @coldclimatehousing
Music: "Motivational inspiring music" by Alexander Blu from orangefreesounds.com/. The song is permitted for non-commercial use under license “Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)”
This video is the first in a short series in which we assess and improve the energy performance of a 20' x 20' cabin under construction in Fairbanks, Alaska, in IECC Climate Zone 8. The initial builder of the cabin framed it, installed a metal roof and insulated the floors, but along the way they made a number of choices that were less than ideal for Fairbanks winters. The property was sold before the cabin was completed, and the new owner contacted us for recommendations on how to best insulate and otherwise finish the cabin to maximize its energy efficiency on a tight budget.
Because the cabin was still in the framing stages and the interiors of the walls and roof were still exposed, it presented an opportunity to document some common thermal performance issues in these types of structures, and methods to remediate them. Videos in this series will address the three main aspects of the thermal envelope: the walls, roof, and floor. (There will also be a brief video about the cabin’s foundation). We’ll conclude with a review of an energy audit that will quantify how the changes made affect energy performance, and we'll also discuss how these improvements impact the building's durability and comfort.
We welcome questions and discussion in the comments and you can also reach us at info@cchrc.org.
CCHRC website: cchrc.org
CCHRC YouTube channel: @coldclimatehousing
Music: "Motivational inspiring music" by Alexander Blu from orangefreesounds.com/. The song is permitted for non-commercial use under license “Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)”
