Project contact is Stacey Fritz at Cold Climate Housing Research Center – National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) (United States)
Summary
This project will design, produce, test, and integrate engineered timber products for a modular building system with potential for national applications. The Cold Climate Housing Research Center (CCHRC) in Fairbanks, Alaska, is combining advanced building technologies into a high performance and interoperable kit-of-parts building system called “New Iglu” to meet the increasing demand for affordable, flexible housing solutions. CCHRC is prototyping its innovative New Iglu project, which utilizes vacuum insulated panels, with support from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Building Construction Initiative. With this Wood Innovation Grant, CCHRC will partner with Oregon State University (OSU) and University of Oregon (UO)’s TallWood Design Institute (TDI) to leverage TDI’s specialized research laboratory facilities and expertise in engineered timber, prototyping, and structural engineering. The goals are to prototype modular engineered timber structural frame components for the New Iglu system, demonstrate the commercial viability of low-value timber, and disseminate results to stakeholders. TDI will develop frame components, including reusable structural connections, that integrate with New Iglu and meet current U.S. buildings codes and standards.
