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Curriculum Resources for the Alaskan Environment
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Subject Areas: carpentry,
math
Timeline:
semester
Grade Levels:
9-12
Purpose: to develop energy
consciousness and the skills necessary to help
others make their houses more energy efficient; to
draw on traditional and contemporary shelter
designs to plan an economical, energy-efficient
dwelling
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Hart Allex and
E. Gillett
Durable,
Energy-
Efficient Homes
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Activities
- Investigate types of homes in the
village. Question residents regarding comfort and
maintenance.
- Interview elders about traditional
dwellings; how were they constructed to hold
heat?
- Compile a manual of problems to
avoid and principles to employ.
- Research contemporary building
designs. Consider size, availability of materials, and
cost.
- Integrate traditional and
contemporary design (e.g., partially underground, foam
insulated, south-facing).
- Determine costs. Develop a
proposal.
Resources
- houses, elders
- state library for materials on
energy-efficient construction
- How to Build a Super-Insulated
House, cold weather edition
- Building in the
North
- Geophysical Institute magazines
for articles on arctic construction, University of Alaska
Fairbanks
- United States Department of
Energy
- Alaska Division of Energy and
Power Development
- Cooperative Extension
Service
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Variations
- Survey homes for energy
efficiency:
study energy situation worldwide,
nationwide, and locally; consider the costs of
non-renewable energy consumption; concentrate on local
areas
conduct a survey to determine
fuel usage in village homes: record
fuel, square footage of house, and costs/month. Determine
BTU for wood, oil, propane, and electrical
heat
apply heating leak detection
skills, such as holding a burning candle near cracks and
outlets
survey homes for energy efficiency.
Identify major problems, and make recommendations for
changes to owners/city council! housing
authority.
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