Easy steps to energy-efficient buildings: savings on utility bills and mortgage rates are not the only reasons to take an interest in energy efficiency. Safety, health, durability and comfort issues are often more motivating than long-term financial savings.

• Author: Maynard, Barbara
• Position: BUILDING ALASKA

Many Alaskans dread the approach of winter--for some the anxiety is as much about high utility bills as it is about the darkness. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, buildings account for 36 percent of total energy use and (iS percent of electricity consumption in the United States. Several resources are available to help Alaskans cut those costs.

A key advocate for home energy efficiency in the state is the Alaska Housing Finance Corp. For homes built in 1992 or after, AHFC can only finance a mortgage if it meets their energy efficiency standards. Homes that exceed those standards qualify for reduced interest rates. Buyers of homes built before 1992 can qualify for reduced mortgage rates by upgrading energy efficiency within 180 days of purchase. Programs also exist to help residents of small communities and low-income residents upgrade the energy efficiency of their homes. AHFC's energy programs have been popular. In 2001, out of 940 AHFC new home loans, 816 included an interest-rate break for energy efficiency.

Homeowners wishing to upgrade energy efficiency also can get a small boost from the federal government in the next couple of years. The energy bill signed into law in August includes a $,500 tax credit for energy efficiency upgrades done in 2006 and 2007.

Savings on utility bills and mortgage rates are not the only reasons to take an interest in energy efficiency. After more than 20 years of "trying to sell people on energy efficiency," Scott Waterman of AHFC has found that the safety, health, durability and comfort issues that accompany energy-efficient buildings are often more motivating than long-term financial savings.

Programs Available

Alaskans interested in building techniques suitable for our harsh climate can learn more through several educational programs. An extensive collection of information in AHFC's Research Information Center is searchable online and available for loan, free of charge. Courses on coldclimate buildings are available to both homeowners and contractors through the Alaska Building Science Network, a nonprofit organization focused on energy-efficiency education.

Creating an energy-efficient building starts with careful design, according to Cary Boiling, an energy specialist at AHFC. Understanding how all the elements of a building work together can provide savings in the end. "You can build off of synergies," Boiling said. "If I get my lighting right, I'm not going to have to spend so much on...