WHO ARE WE:

Rich Seifert, Community Sustainability Coordinator, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Rich served as the Cooperative Extension Service "energy guy” at UAF in Fairbanks for 27 years. He has a Bachelor's degree in Physics from West Chester State University in Pennsylvania, and a Master's Degree in Engineering Physics from the University of Alaska. He has lived in Fairbanks for over 40 years, save for one year (1985-86) when he was a Fulbright Scholar at the Technical University of Norway, in Trondheim Norway.

Seifert is the author of "A Solar Design Manual for Alaska" which he uses as a text for a course to integrate solar design into homes for Alaskans. He has authored numerous articles and two books on cold climate homebuilding. He teaches public seminars for adults, mainly on the topic of cold and marine climate homebuilding techniques and renewable energy use for prospective homeowners. He has authored numerous technical and public information papers and pamphlets on housing issues, indoor air quality, radon, renewable energy and sustainable building design. 

Recently Rich has focused much scholarship and interest in sustainable communities and the looming prospect of peak world oil production (“Peak Oil”) and how it will affect our lives. He has served on many non-profit boards and has been a board member of the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital Foundation since 1987.

OUR MISSION:

Our mission is to objectively bring the best possible housing technology information to Alaskan home owners and builders. Using the research facilities of the University and the national research networks of federal institutions and private corporations, Extension tries to bring you through the best information we can provide on housing technology. As part of this outreach, Extension uses newsletters, publications, and personal consultations in education.

WHERE ARE WE:

The Energy and Housing Program operates out of the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus, although information can be picked up at most branch offices around Alaska.

We are located in the Cooperative Extension Service state office on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. We straddle the F11 and F12 boundary line on the campus map grid. You can also map CES on MapQuest.