Barriers to Zero-H: A Project for NET-Zero Homes on Tribal Reservations

Malini Srivastava (University of Minnesota)
Dylan Neururer (North Dakota State University)

Supported by an NSF Planning grant, the objective of this research is to develop a design and research concept that integrates culturally-informed passive house design through a community-mediated design process. The fundamental goal of the research is the integration of cultural, community, architecture and engineering solutions optimized for Zero Energy-Ready Homes for the Native American community in the Dakotas. The problem being addressed is the energy burden experienced by Native Americans in North Dakota. According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), North Dakota has the highest energy expenditure per person in the nation (EIA 2014). 39.8% of Native Americans in North Dakota live below the poverty line (US Census, 2010). On average, low-income households pay over 3 times more of household income on energy bills, than higher income households (Drehobl & Ross, 2016). From literature research and focus group interviews, the research team learned that the following key barriers to home ownership and financing exist. First, variable family structures that can shrink or grow rapidly are not addressed by standard housing solutions. Second, complex land ownership structures on reservations lead to difficulty in accessing financing formortgage or construction loans.

Concepts developed by the design team to address these issues are (a) Passive House home construction with mobile or multiple insulated wall systems which serve as thermal boundaries. The wall systems make best use of the changing occupant loads as internal heat source by changing the thermal boundary or conditioned volume of the home in order to achieve optimal energy-efficiency; (b) Creative partnerships between higher education (both tribal colleges and land-grant institutions), housing authorities, tribal leaders, federal agencies, private lenders and home owners in order to address the needs of all involved through symbiotic relationships that fulfill the goals of each institution’s charter and the needs of the homeowner.