Cold Climate Housing Research Center

What Cold Climate Housing Research Center does

Cold Climate Housing Research Center (CCHRC) is an Alaska-based non-profit founded in 1999 that conducts building science research and delivers educational programming focused on cold climate housing. The organization is headquartered in Fairbanks in the world's northernmost LEED Platinum building and serves individual homeowners (DIY owner-builders), professional contractors, and government/community decision-makers across Alaska.

CCHRC's core technology assets center on cold climate building envelope science. Its proprietary REMOTE Wall System (Residential Exterior Membrane Outside insulation TEchnique) relocates the majority of insulation outside wall sheathing to keep it warm and dry in extreme conditions, adapted from Canada's PERSIST wall technique. The organization also maintains a Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality program supported by an HRV Efficiency Calculator tool, and is developing the Celium cellulose-mycelium composite insulation material with NREL, VTT Technical Centre of Finland, Forest Products Lab, and University of Alaska Anchorage. A patent-pending rapidly deployable flat pack foundation system designed for permafrost and unstable ground won the 2025 Arctic Innovation Competition.

The organization's revenue is generated through a mix of paid educational programs (notably the seven-week Cold Climate Owner-Builder Masterclass priced at $1,800 per individual and $2,300 per couple), fee-based consulting services, an installer badge certification program for contractors, donations, and research grants in partnership with bodies including the University at Buffalo, NREL, and VTT. Go-to-market is community-led, leveraging webinars, in-person training, sponsor partnerships, social media, and YouTube content. CCHRC operates as an objective, non-commercial resource for the Alaska housing sector, with a board governance structure led by Board Chair Griffin Forster and incoming Executive Director Paul Rasmussen effective June 15, 2026.

Name

Cold Climate Housing Research Center

Legal name

Cold Climate Housing Research Center

Website

https://cchrc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CCHRC is an Alaska-based non-profit founded in 1999 that conducts building science research and delivers education on cold climate housing. It serves DIY homeowners, contractors, and government decision-makers through proprietary wall and foundation systems, certification programs, and consulting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairbanks

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Educational Programs and Classes: Revenue from hosting educational programs including the Cold Climate Owner-Builder Masterclass, single-session webinars, and professional training courses for contractors and homeowners
2. Consulting Services: Fee-based consulting services for building projects, energy efficiency assessments, and housing development guidance
3. Non-profit Funding and Grants: Funding from research grants, partnerships with government agencies, and donations to support the organization's mission of advancing sustainable housing solutions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CCHRC develops, tests, and implements cost-effective building technologies for cold climates through applied research, building science education, and consulting. Core deliverables include the proprietary REMOTE Wall System for moisture management, the seven-week Cold Climate Owner-Builder Masterclass, the Installer Badges certification program for contractors, ventilation and indoor air quality guidance, and an HRV Efficiency Calculator tool. The organization also conducts materials research such as the Celium cellulose-mycelium composite insulation project with national and international partners.

Product overview

CCHRC is a non-profit organization that offers a portfolio of building science research products and educational services for cold climate housing. The core offerings include the proprietary REMOTE Wall System for moisture management in building envelopes, ventilation and indoor air quality guidance resources, and the Cold Climate Owner-Builder Masterclass educational program. Additional services include consulting, an installer badge certification program, and online tools like the HRV Efficiency Calculator. CCHRC also conducts research into innovative materials such as cellulose-mycelium composites for carbon-negative insulation. The organization was formed in 1999 and is located in Fairbanks, Alaska in the world's northernmost LEED Platinum building.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• REMOTE Wall System (Residential Exterior Membrane Outside insulation Technique) A proprietary building envelope moisture management system that moves the majority of insulation to the outside of walls to keep sheathing warm and dry in cold climates. Adapted from the PERSIST wall technique used in northern Canada and intended for residential construction.
• Cold Climate Owner-Builder Masterclass A seven-week intensive educational program teaching individuals how to build their own home, covering budgeting, energy efficiency, healthy construction practices, and the homebuilding process from contractor selection to closing. Priced at $1,800 per individual or $2,300 per couple, with an early bird discount available.
• Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality Program Educational resources and guidance on maintaining healthy indoor air quality in cold climate homes, covering humidity control, pollutant management, and whole-house versus local ventilation strategies for homeowners and builders.
• HRV Efficiency Calculator An online calculator tool published by CCHRC to evaluate Heat Recovery Ventilator efficiency for cold climate applications.
• Installer Badges Certification Program A credentialing program for contractors and installers that demonstrates proficiency in cold climate building techniques and standards. Badges serve as professional certification for builders serving Alaska's cold climate housing market.
• Consulting Services Expert consulting on sustainable housing solutions for cold climates, covering building science research, energy efficiency assessments, policy guidance, and homeowner education. Quote-based fees serve contractors, builders, developers, and government entities.
• Celium Cellulose-Mycelium Composite Insulation (Research Project) A carbon-negative bio-based insulation research project developing cellulose-mycelium composites for thermal and acoustic insulation with antimicrobial properties, intended for climate zones 4C-8. Developed with NREL, VTT Technical Centre of Finland, Forest Products Lab, and University of Alaska Anchorage.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average annual energy cost for homes in Alaska is more than twice the national average, with some regions more than four times the national average - indicating significant savings potential from CCHRC research
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University at Buffalo School of Architecture and PlanningcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026Joint research partnership on climate impacts on Alaska housing, synthesizing evidence from 70 research sources and interviews with 20 housing providers about environmental hazards such as permafrost thaw, coastal erosion, storms, and wildfires
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 January 2023Partner in Celium project developing carbon-negative cellulose-mycelium composites for bio-based insulation
• VTT Technical Centre of FinlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 January 2023International R&D partner in Celium project for developing mycelium-cellulose composites for climate zones 4C-8
• Forest Products LabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 January 2023Research partner in Celium project developing carbon-negative bio-based insulation materials
• University of Alaska AnchoragecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 January 2023Academic partner in Celium project for developing bio-based insulation for Alaska
• Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACEP instructor Tom Marsik teaches Energy Efficient Building Design and Simulation class for CCHRC
• National Lab of the Rockies (NLR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing instructor Tom Marsik for professional training programs
• UAF Bristol Bay CampusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing instructor Tom Marsik for professional training programs
• Spenard Building SupplyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor of Cold Climate Owner-Builder Masterclass
• Fairbanks North Star BoroughminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Cold Climate Owner-Builder Masterclass
• State FarmminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Cold Climate Owner-Builder Masterclass

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• New Buildings Institute: Nonprofit organization focused on improving energy efficiency of new and existing buildings through research, advocacy, and education. Comparable mission of advancing high-performance building practices through applied research and training.
• Building Performance Institute (BPI): Certification organization for building performance professionals. Closely comparable to CCHRC's installer badge certification program, with similar focus on credentialing contractors in energy efficiency and building science best practices.
• Building Science Corporation: Building science consulting firm focused on building envelope performance, moisture management, and energy efficiency. Highly comparable to CCHRC's focus on cold-climate building science, residential moisture management (e.g., REMOTE Wall), and energy-efficient construction research.
• National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT): Nonprofit promoting sustainable technologies including building science, energy efficiency education for professionals and homeowners. Comparable nonprofit structure, educational mission, and rural/cold-climate focus.

Regional players

• Efficiency Vermont: Energy efficiency utility focused on building energy efficiency education, incentives, and workforce development. Comparable education-and-certification model, but serves Vermont rather than Alaska.

Others

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): National laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy and existing CCHRC research partner through the Celium bio-based insulation project. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a competitor, but operates in overlapping building technologies research.

Broad incumbents

• Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL): U.S. Army Corps of Engineers research laboratory focused on cold regions science and engineering, including infrastructure and buildings. A larger, established federal research entity operating in the same cold-regions building science domain as CCHRC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CCHRC_Alaska
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ColdClimateHousing
• Facebookfacebook.com/cchrc
• Instagraminstagram.com/coldclimatehousing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cold Climate Housing Research Center