Recent Projects
Summer 2021 – Fall 2023
"Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC)
Temperature and Humidity Study"
This recently published report contains results from the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) evaluation conducted on the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Home Uplift weatherization program from 2021-2022. The research team sought to measure the impacts of weatherization on indoor temperature and relatively humidity in addition to occupant comfort, health, and well-being. As part of this study, the team conducted both a qualitative phone survey with program participants and in-home IEQ monitoring in the period leading up to and following weatherization. Across the three sampling periods, the team recruited 45 participants during the winter heating season and 56 participants across the two summer cooling seasons. Pre- and post-weatherization surveys captured occupant's subjective feeling of comfort in the home in addition to outcomes such as seeking medical care for exposure to extreme temperatures, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or arthritis. The survey also explored physical conditions and energy-related hardships in the home, such as whether heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment functioned properly prior to weatherization, whether mold and moisture were present in the home, and the level of financial burden imposed by energy bills. IEQ monitoring was conducted by placing loggers in program homes to measure indoor temperature and relative humidity one month before and one month after weatherization. The results of this evaluation indicate that weatherization programs could provide meaningful benefits for occupants by reducing indoor exposures to extreme hot and cold temperatures, particularly for those with a chronic health condition that is exacerbated by extreme temperatures, such as asthma, COPD, or arthritis.
"Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC)
Temperature and Humidity Study"
This recently published report contains results from the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) evaluation conducted on the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Home Uplift weatherization program from 2021-2022. The research team sought to measure the impacts of weatherization on indoor temperature and relatively humidity in addition to occupant comfort, health, and well-being. As part of this study, the team conducted both a qualitative phone survey with program participants and in-home IEQ monitoring in the period leading up to and following weatherization. Across the three sampling periods, the team recruited 45 participants during the winter heating season and 56 participants across the two summer cooling seasons. Pre- and post-weatherization surveys captured occupant's subjective feeling of comfort in the home in addition to outcomes such as seeking medical care for exposure to extreme temperatures, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or arthritis. The survey also explored physical conditions and energy-related hardships in the home, such as whether heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment functioned properly prior to weatherization, whether mold and moisture were present in the home, and the level of financial burden imposed by energy bills. IEQ monitoring was conducted by placing loggers in program homes to measure indoor temperature and relative humidity one month before and one month after weatherization. The results of this evaluation indicate that weatherization programs could provide meaningful benefits for occupants by reducing indoor exposures to extreme hot and cold temperatures, particularly for those with a chronic health condition that is exacerbated by extreme temperatures, such as asthma, COPD, or arthritis.
Fall-Winter 2021 - Spring 2022
Refugee Housing Study
Three3 and Bridge Refugee Services (BRS) conducted a needs study to assess the challenges associated with refugee access to affordable and adequate housing in the Knoxville and Chattanooga areas of Tennessee. This understanding aimed to better equip organizations in providing appropriate housing relief to incoming refugees and to secure and maintain ideal relationships with landlords. To advance our knowledge, BRS and Three3 implemented semi-structured interviews with five groups of stakeholders:
Refugee Housing Study
Three3 and Bridge Refugee Services (BRS) conducted a needs study to assess the challenges associated with refugee access to affordable and adequate housing in the Knoxville and Chattanooga areas of Tennessee. This understanding aimed to better equip organizations in providing appropriate housing relief to incoming refugees and to secure and maintain ideal relationships with landlords. To advance our knowledge, BRS and Three3 implemented semi-structured interviews with five groups of stakeholders:
- Refugees living in rental housing in the greater Knoxville and Chattanooga areas
- Stakeholders and staff of the Episcopal Migration Ministries
- Landlords who have been willing to rent to refugees
- Landlords that have not yet rented to refugees
- Other relevant stakeholders not already listed
Summer 2019 – Winter 2021
"Wx Rx: Connecting Healthcare (Rx) with Weatherization (Wx)"
This project, funded by the Energy Foundation and the East Tennessee Foundation, seeks to create new approaches and a sustainable system for linking the healthcare and energy efficiency sectors in Knoxville to address housing issues that contribute to chronic respiratory illness for income-qualifying households. To do this, Three3, in partnership with the City of Knoxville's Office of Sustainability, has convened key stakeholders across the city – from government officials and local community-based organizations to the public health and healthcare sectors. Transformative education across organizations will help to develop processes and protocols to refer patients from healthcare (Cherokee Health and East Tennessee Children’s Hospital) to Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee. Through this pilot, a small number of homes of patients with chronic (and uncontrolled) respiratory illness will receive a healthy homes assessment and will be weatherized. Three3 and study partners will assess the process and short-term health outcomes for patients whose homes were weatherized and the model’s impacts overall to ensure households that need a referral for healthy homes and weatherization services have access to any newly developed program with strong likelihood to produce meaningful outcomes.
"Wx Rx: Connecting Healthcare (Rx) with Weatherization (Wx)"
This project, funded by the Energy Foundation and the East Tennessee Foundation, seeks to create new approaches and a sustainable system for linking the healthcare and energy efficiency sectors in Knoxville to address housing issues that contribute to chronic respiratory illness for income-qualifying households. To do this, Three3, in partnership with the City of Knoxville's Office of Sustainability, has convened key stakeholders across the city – from government officials and local community-based organizations to the public health and healthcare sectors. Transformative education across organizations will help to develop processes and protocols to refer patients from healthcare (Cherokee Health and East Tennessee Children’s Hospital) to Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee. Through this pilot, a small number of homes of patients with chronic (and uncontrolled) respiratory illness will receive a healthy homes assessment and will be weatherized. Three3 and study partners will assess the process and short-term health outcomes for patients whose homes were weatherized and the model’s impacts overall to ensure households that need a referral for healthy homes and weatherization services have access to any newly developed program with strong likelihood to produce meaningful outcomes.
Completed Fall 2020
COVID-19 Impacts on Knoxville's Refugees–Capturing the Lived Experience
We had the privilege of working with Bridge Refugee Services in Knoxville, TN to better understand the needs and experiences of refugees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a coordinated effort with local interpreters, we heard the personal testimonies of refugees living in our Knoxville community. We learned about the unique challenges refugees face after newly migrating to the U.S. during the pandemic, including: difficulties finding and maintaining employment, paying rent and utility bills, accessing internet for virtual students, and feeling socially isolated. Three3 staff are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have participated in these interviews and for the meaningful, learning opportunity. We encourage everyone to share warm words of welcome to our newest neighbors and remember to provide support to them and to helping organizations, like Bridge Refugee Services, during this difficult time and beyond. Learn more about how you can help at https://www.bridgerefugees.org.
COVID-19 Impacts on Knoxville's Refugees–Capturing the Lived Experience
We had the privilege of working with Bridge Refugee Services in Knoxville, TN to better understand the needs and experiences of refugees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a coordinated effort with local interpreters, we heard the personal testimonies of refugees living in our Knoxville community. We learned about the unique challenges refugees face after newly migrating to the U.S. during the pandemic, including: difficulties finding and maintaining employment, paying rent and utility bills, accessing internet for virtual students, and feeling socially isolated. Three3 staff are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have participated in these interviews and for the meaningful, learning opportunity. We encourage everyone to share warm words of welcome to our newest neighbors and remember to provide support to them and to helping organizations, like Bridge Refugee Services, during this difficult time and beyond. Learn more about how you can help at https://www.bridgerefugees.org.
Completed Fall 2020
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 impact 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 was 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.
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 impact 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 was 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.