Capitol Park Low Income Multifamily Goes GreenStar Homes Silver Certified

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Vastu Shastra Sanctum GreenStar Silver GHI Zero Energy Certified

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Glendale Zero Energy Ready GreenStar Home

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Star Residence Goes GreenStar Silver in Wilmette, IL

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TStar Residence Insidehe client is an empty nester who sought to build a green home in Wilmette.  Previous homes she had built in the Northeast included green ideas and concepts, but she desired to expand from those restricted builds and create something for her current lifestyle, while planning ahead for future physical challenges if they were to occur.

This home includes a passive solar, double wall construction, low E windows and doors, light colored shingles, and a detached garage. The home also features paneling installed by Hardie, sun shades, spray foam insulation, energy star appliances, high efficiency furnaces and water heater, reclaimed finishes, low VOC cabinetry, and clean burning fireplaces. Tremendous amounts of passive solar heating and lighting pulse through double wall construction for a tight home. Reflective color shingles were installed to reduce heat gain, while sun shades were implemented to control the lighting, giving the home a remarkable atmosphere. The home was also pre design and wired to be solar pv ready if the homeowner chooses to add solar. Water efficient fixtures, toilets and valve control kitchen sink were installed to conserve water and energy. Milwork, doors and windows contain FSC certified wood and/or 25% post consumer recycled content and are low emitting.

The home has an impressive Air Changes per Hour at 1.4 with a HERS index rating of 51 making it 49% more energy efficient. Native/drought tolerant landscaping made up about 60% of the added landscape and veggie garden raised beds give the ability to grow local food.

GreenStar Homes Points 

  • Energy 170
  • Materials 105
  • Health 106
  • Water 38
  • Place 83
  • Total 502

SIZE: 2,400 square feet

PROJECT TYPE: Single Family- New Construction

DESIGNER/ARCHITECT:

Coda Design + Build
600 Waukegan Rd. Suite 129, Northbrook, IL 60062
847-920-9700
www.codadb.com
Providing the Chicago Metropolitan area unprecedented residential real estate consultation, design services, construction services and home concierge services.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Coda-Design-Build/190749694435922
Houzz: http://www.houzz.com/coda-design-build

Metropolis Construction: Remodel Type III Silver

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Remodel Silver IIIMetropolis

Our goal was to turn our newly acquired and somewhat run down bungalow into a beautiful and comfortable home that was as energy efficient and eco-friendly as possible. We wanted to do this in a way that created modern conveniences and utilized modern technologies, while preserving the craftsman aesthetic of our 1918 home. Our project is a certified Silver, Type III project, which included adding two dormers to create a master suite on the second floor, remodeling the kitchen, and generally sprucing it up. The key energy efficiency features of our home include: closed cell foam insulation in all available applications, redesign of the HVAC system, high efficiency furnace, tankless hot water, energy efficient lighting and appliances, and high performance windows and doors for all new applications. We insulated the sash pockets and reglazed the existing windows to improve the efficiency of the existing windows. Many of the materials used were salvaged and environmentally-friendly, including flooring remilled from an old barn, a kitchen countertop made of 100% paper, and salvaged or FSC-certified lumber and millwork. Throughout the project, we made every effort to reuse materials and minimize waste. The home’s proximity to a light rail station and urban amenities cuts car trips, which further reduces our carbon footprint.

By Carolyn Brouillard, Homeowner

Metropolis Kitchen BeforeMetropolis Kitchen After

For more information on this project visit www.metropolismn.com.

Lake Country Builders: Remodel Type IV Silver

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The new plan opens itself to the beautiful 2 acre lot, focusing attention to the outdoor spaces and pool. A gorgeous new kitchen and great room feature exceptional cabinetry design details. Stroll through the piano room, complete with wine chillers, to the spa-like master retreat, with its nearby gym added over the existing garage.

 

For more info about this project visit our website at www.lakecountrybuilders.com.

Showcase Renovation/SALA Architects: New Home Silver

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New Home Silver

Showcase Renovations

Showcase Renovation Inc. won the 2008 “Excellence In Green Building” Award for remodeling with this project.  The home has been rated Silver by MN GreenStar.

Replacing an energy and structurally deficient home, this MN GreenStar pilot participant begins sustainability with simple concepts in a new 2050sf house.  Methods including solar orientation for passive heating and cooling; use and re-use of durable, recyclable, and sustainable materials; reduced energy consumption; improved indoor air quality; and increased attention to water management, retention, and respect of the mighty Mississippi.  The elongated plan and prominent shed roof focus river views while minimizing northern exposure.

Among the features included in this home:

  • FSC lumber and millwork
  • In-floor heat powered by heat pump
  • Closed cell foam insulation, R-50 and R-60 ceilings
  • Advanced framing technologies
  • Low VOC or no VOC and free of formaldehyde finishes
  • Air exchange system with heat-recovery or energy-recovery
  • Flourescent, low voltage, and LED lighting
  • Energy Star rated appliances
  • No-Mow Landscape with rain barrels and rain garden for conservation

The clients were dedicated to building green and made this project both challenging and exciting. This home was designed for its site responding to conditions both natural and man-made.  It provides an example of the beauty, efficiency, and longevity that results when regard for limited resources meets sustainable design and quality craftsmanship.

By Stephen Roche, Showcase Renovation Inc.

Showcase RenovationShowcase Renovation

For more information on this project visit www.showcaserenovations.com and www.salaarc.com.

Keith Waters & Associates: New Home Silver

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New Home Silver
Keith Waters & Associates

This home by Keith Waters & Associates, Inc, is MN Greenstar New Home Silver Certified. Some of its “green” features are solar water heating, sustainably-harvested hardwood floors, and high-efficiency lighting. Its driveway pavers are made from recycled tires and are installed in a way that lets rainwater seep between them into the earth, recharging the groundwater supply while reducing undesireable runoff.

By Jacquie Cripe, Keith Waters & Associates

For more information on this project visit www.keithwaters.com.

Castle Building & Remodeling: Remodel Type III Silver

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This St. Louis Park couple came to Castle Building & Remodeling needing to expand their attic space in anticipation of a new arrival. They knew they wanted to use sustainable and locally sourced materials, convert the household mechanicals to energy efficient systems, and conserve or recycling materials wherever possible. Castle Building & Remodeling designed a unique shed dormer that gave these homeowners nearly 800 sq. ft. of newly finished space, including two bedrooms, a full bathroom and an office/nursery area.

Castle Building & Remodeling

Some of the key elements of this project that qualified it for green certification were:

  • High efficiency heating and cooling systems
  • A tanklesswater heating system
  • Energy Star rated lighting fixtures
  • Low flow plumbing fixtures
  • Advanced framing techniques that conserved on lumber usage
  • Engineered headers and beams to maximize the use of forest products
  • High efficiency windows
  • Advanced insulation techniques to increase R-values and eliminate air leakage
  • No recessed fixtures penetrating unconditioned attic space
  • Lifetime warrantied steel shingles
  • Bituminous roofing over entire low pitch roof areas
  • Fiber cement siding & wood composite exterior trim materials
  • Low VOC paints and finishes
  • Recycled framing and roofing materials salvaged for the existing house
  • A Waste Management Plan to deal with all refuse
  • Rain barrels to collect water runoff from the roof and to be used to water the yard

Castle Building & Remodeling

For more information on this project visit www.castlebri.com.

MOH Design: Remodel Type I Silver

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Remodel Silver I

MOH Design Kitchen

Designer Marlene Hernick and her husband decided that instead of selling this home in this slow housing market to update their home in a sustainable and energy efficient way. One of the projects was to remodel the kitchen without adding square footage.

This 80’s home had an outdated kitchen with not enough storage space. The soffit around the room with drop ceiling and cabinets above the peninsula caused the space to appear smaller.

The existing layout and work triangle in the kitchen was kept. The soffit and the cabinets above the peninsula were removed to open the space making it airy and bright.

Some green attributes:

  • Reusing elements that were in good condition. Portion of the bottom cabinets were refaced to avoid waste going to the land fill
  • Installing frameless, locally sourced cabinetry added storage space
  • Energy-Star appliances
  • Recycled local granite countertops and glass tiles for backsplash
  • Low/no VOC primers/paints,
  • Formaldehyde-free wood product,
  • LED recessed lighting,
  • New HVAC system,
  • Universal aspects were added

The goal for this project was to create a beautiful, functional kitchen with a contemporary flair while improving the energy efficiency of this home and have less environmental impact

By Marlene Hernick, MOH Design

MOH Design Kitchen BeforeBackyard Vegetable Garden

For more information on ths project visit www.mohdesignllc.com.