A Time to Invest in Alaskans

BY LEAH MOSS

If you are a Chugach utility payer, then you may have already voted in this year’s elections. If you have not done so yet, you still have time to make decisions that can directly affect the long-term costs of your energy bills and pave the way for more diversified energy sources in our state. You have until May 19 to vote, and it’s a great way to show current and future board members that you are invested in the choices they make.

Another excellent opportunity to lower your costs and invest in a clean energy future is to learn how you can encourage your utilities to take advantage of the once-in-a-generation investments coming our way because of the Inflation Reduction Act.

The Inflation Reduction Act is a historic investment that will address the climate crisis while diversifying our energy and creating jobs. Alaska is at a crossroads and could be at the forefront of renewable energy integration and expansion.

Right now, we can encourage our leaders in the legislature and our utility boards to work to get these investments coming into Alaska by writing formal requests for grants to implement sweeping upgrades. We can start identifying energy efficiency gaps in our homes now. We can also identify community leaders who can help organize the process for homeowners, renters, and small businesses, especially those in more remote parts of Alaska, so that huge swaths of communities can benefit from bulk upgrades. Instead of one team coming out for each upgrade, we can start organizing times so one team can do multiple upgrades simultaneously. This will be a huge cost saver for Alaskan communities and ensure that the rebates and credits go further.

Moving forward, this investment in

Alaska will help with those monthly bills in a variety of ways:

It will make it more affordable for Alaska families to purchase energy-efficient appliances when needed and make home repairs that will make those energy bills cheaper. This includes pointof-sale rebates covering 50-100% of the installation cost. Hundreds of thousands of low and moderate-income households in Alaska are eligible.

There will also be rebates for repairs and improvements to increase energy efficiencies for single-family and multi-family homes.

There will be tax credits to cover 30% of the costs to install solar and make home improvements that will make homes more energy efficient.

There will be tax credits to cover portions of community solar projects.

All of this is a massive investment in making our utilities more affordable, and right now, those of us who can afford to can start budgeting and take advantage of these rebates and credits. But more importantly, we can all start asking the tough questions of our leaders about how these investments can be more equitable so every Alaskan can benefit. We can encourage our leaders to push for community solar legislation, and we can provide our input as implementation plans roll out this fall and into spring on how these kinds of investments can work with and for the Alaskan communities who need them most.

The next ten years will see an influx of opportunities; it’s up to us to make sure they actually are accessible.

ALEJANDRA LAGUNAS GARDUÑO

Migrante, mujer, orgullosa de haber nacido en México, arquitecta y triunfadora. Alejandra Lagunas Garduño y su equipo de la Universidad Ball State, de Indiana, acaban de ganar la 21ª edición anual de la competición Internacional Solar Decathlon, al construir The Alley House, un dúplex de 1,350 pies cuadrados que, lejos de consumir, genera energía limpia. Alejandra demuestra que, con esfuerzo y afán de superación, el “sueño americano” sigue siendo posible para los latinos

The Alley House (“La casa de la Alameda”, en español) es la propuesta de diseño y construcción de Cardinal Studio para el Solar Decathlon de Ball State University (Indiana). La casa, diseñada por Alejandra Lagunas Garduño, está en plena armonía con el entorno natural, construida con materiales 100% locales, que tienen “impacto cero” en el medioambiente.

Desde 2002, más de cuarenta mil estudiantes de todo el mundo han participado en este concurso universitario, muchos de los cuales se han convertido en arquitectos, ingenieros e investigadores de prestigio mundial.

Alejandra acaba de graduarse como arquitecta. Ella y su equipo han ganado el primer premio, superando a otros competidores de India y Canadá. Esta mexicana de 32 años, orgullosa de sus raíces latinas, llegó con su madre y sus dos hermanas cuando tenía doce años. Y llegó como inmigrante indocumentada a un país que le era extraño incluso en el idioma. Pero supo abrirse paso “sin papeles”; sin ayuda financiera del gobierno, tan sólo con becas privadas; trabajando y estudiando al mismo tiempo; siendo mujer en un entorno machista, y finalmente triunfando en industrias tradicionalmente masculinas, como lo son la arquitectura y la construcción.

En The Alley House ha intervenido un equipo multidisciplinario de las universidades Ball State, de Muncie, Indiana (Alejandra trabaja en Indianápolis); Twin Cities, de Minnesota, y The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, de Manhattan, en el Greenwich Village de Nueva York.

Nacida en Guerrero, México, Alejandra Lagunas Garduño hace honor a su cuna: ella es “guerrera”, como su madre, que tuvo los arrestos de abrirse camino en Es- tados Unidos, no sin esfuerzo, y de sacar a sus tres hijas pequeñas adelante: la arquitecta es Alejandra. De sus dos hermanas, una es ingeniera química y la otra máster en negocios.

“Ella es mi referente”, dice Alejandra a Sol de Medianoche. “Tengo una trayectoria muy inspiradora. Siempre quise ser arquitecta. Primero fui arquitecta paisajista, porque la arquitectura y el paisaje deben ir de la mano. Y con mi trabajo quiero contribuir a la comunidad y a la lucha contra el Cambio Climático”.

“En la construcción es importante utilizar materiales que no emitan gases de carbono, que sean más resistentes y duraderos”, explica Alejandra. “La aportación principal de The Alley House es que genera más energía de la que necesita y, por tanto, puede aportar esa energía sobrante al sistema. Lamentablemente, esto aún no es posible en nuestro sistema energético”.

Y añade: “la casa no permite ninguna transferencia térmica, ni en invierno ni en verano. Está caliente cuando afuera hace frio y fresca cuando afuera hace calor”.

Alejandra Lagunas no es experta en climas extremos, como es el ártico. Pero considera que “los latinos tenemos mucho que aportar a la arquitectura eficiente de Estados Unidos”. En Alaska también sería posible una casa como The Alley House, con aislamiento térmico, y sostenible. “No tengo una respuesta exacta, pero creo que no hay más que fijarse en nuestros ancestros y ver cómo construían ellos, con qué materiales, cómo armonizaban las construcciones con la naturaleza. Hoy, las edificaciones modernas son técnicamente más avanzadas. Pero nuestros ancestros nos guían para saber qué materiales son los mejores entre aquellos que están disponibles en el entorno, y cómo aprovecharlos, con el agua y el aire…”

An immigrant, woman, proud to have been born in Mexico, an architect, and a winner. Alejandra Lagunas Garduño and her team from Ball State University, Indiana, have just won the 21st annual Solar Decathlon International Competition by building The Alley House, a 1,350-square-foot duplex that, far from consuming, generates clean energy. Alejandra demonstrates that, with effort and drive, the “American dream” is still possible for Latinos

BY CARLOS MATÍAS

The Alley House is the design and construction proposal by Cardinal Studio for the Solar Decathlon at Ball State University (Indiana). The house, designed by Alejandra Lagunas Garduño, is in complete harmony with the natural environment, built with 100% local materials that have “zero impact” on the environment.

Since 2002, more than forty thousand students from around the world have participated in this university competition, many of whom have gone on to become world-renowned architects, engineers, and researchers.

Alejandra has just graduated as an architect. She and her team have won first prize, beating other competitors from India and Canada. The 32-yearold Mexican, proud of her Latin roots, arrived with her mother and two sisters when she was twelve years old. She arrived as an undocumented immigrant to a country that was foreign to her, even in language. But she managed to make her way “without papers,” without financial help from the government, only with private scholarships; working and studying at the same time; being a woman in a male chauvinistic environment, and finally succeeding in traditionally male dominated industries, such as architecture and construction.

The Alley House has involved a multidisciplinary team from Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana (Alejandra works in Indianapolis); Twin Cities, Minnesota, and The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, Manhattan, in New York’s Greenwich Village.

Born in Guerrero, Mexico, Alejandra Lagunas Garduño honors her birthplace: she is a “warrior” (“guerrera”), like her mother, who had the courage to make her way in the United States, not without great effort, and to raise her three young daughters: the architect is Alejandra. Of her two sisters, one is a chemical engineer and the other has a master’s degree in business.

“She is my compass,” Alejandra tells Sol de Medianoche, “I have a very inspiring trajectory. I always wanted to be an architect. First, I was a landscape architect because architecture and landscape should go hand in hand. And with my work I want to contribute to the community and to the fight against climate change.”

“In construction, it’s important to use materials that do not emit carbon gases, that are more resistant and durable,” Alejandra explains. “The main contribution of The Alley House is that it generates more energy than it needs and can therefore contribute that surplus energy to the system. Unfortunately, this is not yet possible in our energy system.”

She adds: “The house does not allow any heat transfer, neither in winter nor in summer. It is hot when it is cold outside and viceversa.”

Alejandra Lagunas is not an expert in extreme climates, such as the Arctic. But she believes that “Latinos have a lot to contribute to efficient architecture in the US. In Alaska, a house like The Alley House would also be possible, with thermal insulation, and being sustainable. “I don’t have an exact answer, but I think you just have to look at our ancestors and see how they built, with what materials, how they harmonized their constructions with nature. Today, modern buildings are technically more advanced. But our ancestors guided us to know which materials are the best among those that are available in the environment, and how to take advantage of them, with water and air.”