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Weekly UpdatesEnergy conservation is now more than a fact of life for Alaskans. With the price of oil busting through the $75-a-barrel mark in April, conserving energy has become a way of life.
One primary area of concern, related to energy in Alaska, is heating homes in the winter. Fuel costs are rising and the supplies are dwindling. And, in some of the rural Native villages, it is an issue that has reached desperate proportions.
One answer is simple; build more energy-efficient buildings. Back in the "Good old days," when the chill spilled in through less-than-tight seals between windows and walls or around ill-fitted doors, no one really cared; people would just crank up the thermostat until it again became comfortable. Fuel was cheap and there was plenty of it.
Wow! What a difference a few years can make.
A STEP AHEAD
Although there are companies currently building energy-efficient structures from insulated panels, the folks at R-PLUS, a division of Imperial Manufacturing Co., say they have a product that is a little different and a lot more efficient.
Jerry Haines, the corporate representative in Alaska, says their panels, the basic building block for their structures, came about in a kind of backward way; the panels were originally designed to keep the cold in and warmth out. Imperial Manufacturing, based in Portland, Ore., builds large commercial refrigerators and cold-storage facilities, using Imperial foam-insulated panels.
"I have been associated with Imperial for 28 years," said Haines. "It was my concept to use these panels to build super-insulated homes. When I arrived in Alaska, it was obvious to me that we needed a better way to insulate homes and conserve energy.
"I started talking about conserving energy, but no one really cared. Now we see what is happening."
R-PLUS has been in the forefront of developing new ideas in reducing energy costs for the commercial and residential users. Their product's R-values go up to R-56. R-values are the industry's way of rating insulation products. The higher the R-value, the more insulating capacity that product has.
R-56 is far above any basic requirement for housing. Haines claims that homes built with R-PLUS can reduce energy consumption between 50 percent and 75 percent.
"I have recently read reports from national resource guides that tell of future oil prices jumping up to as much as $200 a barrel in the next 20 to 30 years," said Haines. "Even if this is only half true, which isn't far from reality, look what it will do to our housing cost to keep them warm. This does not include the rate increases in natural gas and electricity.
"We must not only change the way we think, but how we build our homes-if we are to survive the cost of building and heating homes in the future. As the housing market changes, energy-efficient homes will demand higher resale values over other types of homes that require higher dollars in energy costs.
"A lot of the older, site-built homes may soon go the way of the SUV, which have lost a lot of their value."
According to the National Association of Home Builders, the cost of energy is usually second only to the mortgage interest in total housing expenses. Paying attention to thermal energy drain is fundamental for residents of extreme climate regions.
EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS
R-PLUS meets and exceeds the demands placed on the construction and energy consumption of today's building requirements, saving the consumer money over the life of their investment.
The R-PLUS panels are made from high-density polyurethane, foamed-in-place panels. They are joined together with a special cam-lock device, forming an exceptionally tight bond. The process provides a barrier that is resistant to termites, wind, fire, rain, rot and mildew.
The structures can be engineered and designed to withstand up to 155 mile-per-hour winds. And they are ground-movement resistant, which is a major asset in Alaska.
When customers plan to build a home using R-PLUS, Haines works with them from "conception to completion." He will help that person design the structure and then provide the necessary drawings and plans, based on the person's instructions.
Haines spends time with his potential customers so that he can understand their needs and develop a good feeling for what they actually want. He says that sometimes people will think they know what they want, until they start the process. Then it sometimes turns out that the person really did not know what he or she wanted ... or could afford more than thought ... or wanted more than the individual could afford.
"We have a good reputation," he said. "I want to make sure it stays that way. People trust us with a lot of money--sometimes their entire life savings. I just want to make sure they get their money's worth."
EACH IS CUSTOM BUILT
Once a customer has approved the plans and drawings, Haines will send them to the plant in Portland. The panels are custom made to the plans. That way there is no waste of materials, which can happen at site-built homes. Due to unintentional mistakes by a builder, materials can be wasted and become a costly issue for the customer.
Other benefits to R-PLUS homes are no drafts or cold spots, minimal external noise, lower utility bills and the products are environmentally friendly.
And once the panels arrive, the average move-in time is 45-60 working days.
Haines says that many of his customers prefer to self-build their structure.
They enlist the help of family and friends and put the panels together themselves. Haines says a group of six can have a house built to weathered-in stage within three to five days.
If self-building the structure is not feasible, a person may also find local contractors to build the house. If someone can not do it on their own, Haines will help them find an acceptable solution. He also visits the sites to provide instruction, technical support and ensure that the job is being done right.
Katherine Kennedy is a recent customer who had a 3,000-square-foot house built in Palmer. In April, the house was near completion and she was very satisfied with the product and service she received.
"We are very happy with everything that Jerry has done," said Kennedy. "He has been there every step of the way and has provided us with information on how to make the house better and easier. He has the all the necessary skills and knowledge necessary to help his customers regardless of their situation.
"It seems like he was here every day and has made suggestions on financial issues, construction issues and product recommendations. He has saved us a lot of money throughout this project."
There have also been numerous R-PLUS homes built outside the Anchorage area. Some of them are Unalaska, Bethel, St. George and in Falls Pass, a village located about 20 air minutes southwest of Cold Bay.
"Business has been good," said Haines. "In fact, I'm looking for other companies to represent our product. But it's difficult to find good ones (companies); I have to make sure that they believe our policies and philosophies-especially when it comes to providing good service to the customers."
Haines says that he wants R-PLUS to be the solution to a customer's problem and not a problem for their solution.
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