While the normal response would be to say you need triple pane/high R-Value window, that will come at a cost of passive solar.

In this case, your husband is on the right track.

You are going to need an extremely air-tight window with a good SHGC number. There are window out there that have specialty coating that provide for high R-Values while minimizing impact on SHGC.

A combination of a thermal shade is going to be a must as well. You will simply not have enough R-Value in any of the commercially available windows to mitigate heat loss.

Thank you for your input.

I've been doing some surfing on the subject & have found some interesting stuff.

From what I understand, I'd save more energy by doing exterior shading.

Do window shades save energy?
http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/building-science/do-window-shades-save-energy

http://windows.lbl.gov/

How to choose energy-efficient windows
http://www.efficientwindows.org/

I'll link another site below.

Thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: The Efficient Windows Collaborative Builder Toolkit

Wishing you well. Our children live in Fairbanks and they're facing similar issues. I sympathize.

All citizens need to do everything we can to prevent leakage of heat into the atmosphere. I'm in Minnesota and I know that using window coverings after dark in winter is definitely an energy savings. Additionally, up there it is helpful to have something to shut out the midnight sun so you can sleep better. If you can sew roman shades, look into Warm Window supplies at Joann Fabrics. They sell this stuff in their Alaska stores. In my house I also have walls of Window Quilt custom-made padded shades which are definitely helpful--we couldn't get our building permit without speccing out these for our large windows.

My Alaskan daughters use a nonprofit consultation service called something like "Northern Homes Consultation Service" which knows the local resources for all kinds of things. Something like the University Extension Service of my childhood. They have made recommendations for the cabin buildings my girls live in which stand on pilings over permafrost. I doubt you can stump them.

Ignore the name I invented. Just tried to find them online. This might be the organization: Cold Climate Housing Research Center in Fairbanks. This is not in Valdez, but there might be a similar outfit there. Or otherwise, just assume that the towns are nearby (as the residents do) and go talk to them, :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Cold Climate Housing Research Center

+1

Good recommendations.

Thank you, florantha...lots of great information on that link!