CCHRC tells Alaska lawmakers traditional design, local materials and workforce training key to resilient cold‑climate housing

Sen. Scott Kawasaki introduced a lunch-and-learn in Juneau where the Cold Climate Housing Research Center outlined approaches to improve housing durability and habitability across Alaska’s extreme and changing climates.

The Cold Climate Housing Research Center (CCHRC), a 25-year-old 501(c)(3) nonprofit, emphasized three priorities: integrating Indigenous building knowledge into modern designs, expanding use of locally produced materials, and developing a local construction workforce. Mindy O'Neil, executive director of CCHRC, said the center combines "education, research, policy development, and technical assistance" to put building science into practice for homeowners, builders and policymakers.

Why it matters: Alaska’s housing stock includes many structures built quickly for past resource booms and military needs in eras not tailored to the state’s climate. Speakers linked older construction, permafrost thaw and supply-chain constraints to widespread moisture, mold and energy‑use problems that affect health and affordability — particularly in rural and coastal communities.

Leah Winters, a public policy fellow at CCHRC, described Indigenous building strategies from Inupiaq, Yup'ik and Haida traditions and said those techniques offer design lessons for ventilation, moisture control and resilience. "We need to stop overlooking the people who know how to build here and know how to live here," Winters said, noting semi‑subterranean houses, tunnel entrances and cedar plank construction as examples that informed modern adaptations.

O'Neil described current CCHRC work applying those ideas in modern projects, including modular and elevated foundations to protect permafrost, and participation in Kivalina relocation planning. She thanked the Alaska Legislature for a "local lumber exemption" passed in recent years that allowed creation of an in‑state program to certify locally milled lumber for federally and state‑funded projects. O'Neil pointed to the Kuskokwim Corporation’s specialized mill as an example of a local supply‑chain project.

On materials, staff said they are collaborating with the University of Alaska Fairbanks to develop geopolymers and other locally sourced alternatives to Portland cement and to explore system‑built home kits that reduce on‑site labor and shipping costs. Molly Simons, a marketing fellow, and Winters noted prototypes CCHRC has tested; staff cautioned that some prototypes still face durability or mold issues and that community involvement in design and ongoing maintenance is critical.

Panelists also discussed logistics to reach remote communities. O'Neil described work with the federal Innovative Readiness Training program to deliver materials on military transport and credited outreach with Sen. Dan Sullivan’s office and the Association of Alaska Housing Authorities for helping pilot deliveries to villages. A Fairbanks contractor attending the event asked specifically how to scale in‑state production and lower barge costs for remote job sites; presenters said the problem is large and requires coordinated, cross‑community solutions.

On permafrost, presenters said the first step is mapping whether permafrost or bedrock exists at a building site. CCHRC advised measures such as building on gravel pads or elevating structures to preserve frozen ground; staff noted houses already affected by thaw often require relocation or foundation replacement. CCHRC offers free classes, including a permafrost course scheduled April 22, to help homeowners and builders assess foundation risks.

Audience members raised local examples that illustrate the challenges: one attendee said about 26 percent of homes in Valdez are mobile homes; another recounted very old occupied houses on Telephone Hill in Juneau and concerns about demolition. Panelists said those local histories and building practices should inform modernization efforts.

The session closed with CCHRC reiterating offers of technical assistance, workforce training and online resources. O'Neil described a 25‑module online "cold climate weatherization" badge aimed at introducing weatherization concepts to job seekers and DIYers and said the next step is connecting badge earners with contractors for job placement.

CCHRC presenters asked lawmakers and local officials to support local manufacturing, workforce programs and cross‑community knowledge sharing to scale solutions.

Ending note: presenters and lawmakers agreed that while prototypes and pilots show promise, scaling resilient housing across Alaska will require sustained funding, local mills and coordinated logistics to address climate impacts and the state’s remote supply challenges.