Current Projects
"Evidence for Action--Investigator-Initiated Research to Build a Culture of Health"
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) awarded $40 million to seven communities in their service territory in the Southeastern United States to implement an Extreme Energy Makeover (EEM) program, with the goal of improving the energy efficiency of homes inhabited by households of low socioeconomic status. Due to the increased attention to our non-energy benefit research we have been conducting around the country, we were invited by TVA to submit a research design that would look beyond the energy savings and explore the health impacts of Knoxville's Extreme Energy Makeover (KEEM) program. Through this project we are: examining how the energy cost savings affect household budgets and expenditures on health and well-being; and, are creating a database of the characteristics, health impacts, and costs and savings of weatherization. The database and findings from the study will inform optimization of low-income energy efficiency and healthy housing programs, particularly in moderate and hot-humid climate zones. This project is being supported by a grant awarded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Click button below for more details on the grant and RWJF's Evidence for Action-Culture of Health program.
"On-the Ground Insights on Decision Making, Adoptability, and Performance of ‘Healthier’ Energy-Efficiency Materials Used for Retrofitting Affordable Multifamily Housing”
Through this project, phone interviews will be conducted with contractors that have delivered energy retrofit services within the affordable multifamily housing space. Findings from this qualitative research will contribute to a much larger research effort--the Healthier Affordable Building Materials (HABM) Project—sponsored by Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA), in collaboration with Elevate Energy, Healthy Building Network, Vermont Energy Investment Corp., and International Living Future Institute.
The HABM project includes additional research surrounding healthier insulation and air sealing materials for energy efficiency retrofits. Ultimately, the collective research results and healthier material and policy recommendations will be published in a Guide for Healthier Energy Efficiency Retrofits. The long-term goal is to mainstream the use of healthier building materials in energy efficiency retrofits to reduce toxic exposures to both workers and occupants, improve indoor environmental quality, and make buildings more energy efficient.
The HABM project includes additional research surrounding healthier insulation and air sealing materials for energy efficiency retrofits. Ultimately, the collective research results and healthier material and policy recommendations will be published in a Guide for Healthier Energy Efficiency Retrofits. The long-term goal is to mainstream the use of healthier building materials in energy efficiency retrofits to reduce toxic exposures to both workers and occupants, improve indoor environmental quality, and make buildings more energy efficient.
"Weatherization + Health Enhanced Program Impact Study"
Three3 has been contracted by Opportunity Council (OC), located in Bellingham, Washington, to assist in their efforts to define and optimize its Weatherization + Health program impact potential for “high utilization” recipients of the healthcare system. Three3 has taken the lead in securing Washington State Institutional Review Board (WSIRB) approval for accessing Medicaid records through the Health Care Authority (HCA) linkable to participants in OC's Weatherization Plus Health programs. Throughout the project, Three3 will provide “Evaluation Design” Technical Assistance, be available for quality assurance, and peer review any impact analyses completed by the OC.
Three3 has been contracted by Opportunity Council (OC), located in Bellingham, Washington, to assist in their efforts to define and optimize its Weatherization + Health program impact potential for “high utilization” recipients of the healthcare system. Three3 has taken the lead in securing Washington State Institutional Review Board (WSIRB) approval for accessing Medicaid records through the Health Care Authority (HCA) linkable to participants in OC's Weatherization Plus Health programs. Throughout the project, Three3 will provide “Evaluation Design” Technical Assistance, be available for quality assurance, and peer review any impact analyses completed by the OC.