Challenge
In 2022, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde identified the need to build affordable homes specifically for tribal elders. The land available for this development is located in a rural area that routinely experiences power outages and grid failures due to natural events, so resilience was a goal in the design and operation of these homes. Additionally, the area is subject to wildfires, so fire-resistant design and product choices were needed to mitigate this threat to the homes and their occupants.
Solution
In 2023, a diverse group of stakeholders came together to plan, design and construct a housing development known as Creekside Elder Housing, which provides 24 energy efficient homes for Tribal elders and their families in Oregon. These homes are designed to maximize occupant comfort, affordability and climate resiliency.
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, led by engineering manager Ryan Webb, collaborated with the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA), Energy Trust of Oregon, and TRC (in the role of program delivery contractor for Energy Trust’s EPS New Homes program) on the design of the Creekside homes. Each 1,120 square foot home was designed with energy-efficient technologies including Energy Star electric appliances, solar panels, renewable energy storage batteries, an electric vehicle charger, heat pumps, and electric heat pump water heaters. Heavy insulation and triple pane windows keep energy bills low in the summer and winter, and help reduce exterior noise. Sun tunnels provide the houses with an additional source of natural interior lighting.
All 24 of the Creekside homes meet EPS New Homes’ “net-zero” requirements, meeting the electric load of the houses with 8.7kW solar photovoltaic (PV) rooftop systems and 14kWh of battery storage. Wiring capacity allows mobile generators to provide additional power to the homes. The homes are built with fire resilient features including triple pane windows sponsored by NEEA, metal roofs, and fiber-cement siding.
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Results
The 24 Creekside homes are now fully occupied by tribal elders and contribute to a growing sense of community and resiliency in the Grand Ronde community. These homes are some of the most efficient in Oregon: the annual per-home energy savings is estimated to be $1,075 – more than $32,000 over the system’s 30-year life cycle. Thanks to the solar panels and the energy efficient features, all of the homes have achieved net zero status, generating as much energy as they need to operate.
In December 2024, the completed project was recognized by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) for leadership in innovative collaboration. The award acknowledges the three organizations – the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Energy Trust, and NEEA – for collaborating to implement innovative energy efficiency solutions.
Learn more about the Creekside tribal housing development project at National Public Radio (NPR.org) and at the Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB.org).
TRC’s Partners in the Pacific Northwest
Since 2017, TRC has supported the Energy Trust of Oregon as the program delivery contractor for the EPS™ (Energy Performance Score) New Homes program, which promotes above-code, energy-efficient residential new construction. TRC works with builders and energy verifiers throughout Oregon to build EPS-rated homes that include advanced framing and lighting, high-performance windows and insulation, energy-efficient appliances, heating and cooling equipment and more. TRC also supports Energy Trust in delivering existing building energy efficiency programs and in planning initiatives that reduce the energy burden and improve energy efficiency in affordable housing statewide.
Since 2016, TRC has supported the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) in advancing the construction of energy-efficient homes through market evidence, code development, training, builder engagement, and technical assistance. Together with NEEA, we aim to boost consumer demand for energy efficient and high performing homes and empower market actors to adopt energy-efficient practices. TRC also supports NEEA’s online resource center, BetterBuiltNW, to promote energy-efficient home building in the Pacific Northwest.
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