While I love living in Alaska, it’s not typically a place of a lot of progressive thinking in terms of energy. A typical Alaskan energy story includes the big 3 oil (BP, Shell, Conoco -Phillips) companies pushing for more access to public lands for exploration somewhere of environmental or cultural significance. Either that or some toxic spill they’re being fined some hand-slap amount for.
However, there are very cool things going down all over the state that never get good press which is why I was excited to read these two solid articles from the Fairbanks News-Miner highlighting the passive-energy projects of contractor Thorsten Chlupp. What an amazing concept to be heating a home through an Alaskan winter with renewables! Check out these river rock masonry heaters. Note to self: disregard owner built fears and someday build a small home heated with passive solar energy and intelligent design.
Thorsten Chlupp’s Chena Ridge home.
Karl Kassel’s Murphy Dome Octagon Home.
Jonas Lamb 