Mechanical equipment is high-efficiency forced-air - nothing exotic, but paired with a well-insulated, tightly sealed envelope (cellulose insulation here), this is the starting point for an energy-efficient home. Unfortunately in Chicago we have many new entrants to the green building world that are excited about ‘green bling’ but overlook these basics - one reason this project is deserving of a market transformation award. Ironically, the attention to detail is more common on affordable housing projecs (which typically have many interested parties and government oversight).

The project’s most unusual feature is custom-designed aluminum sandwich panels used on the side elevations. These non-load bearing panels fit between masonry piers and were fabricated in a shop and set in place as a complete piece. This is an interesting approach toward both achieving a quality envelope and making the building easy to modify over time. Shop fabrication generally improves construction quality - one reason modular or prefab construction is often presented as green, and this is a start to that. If windows are to be relocated or added in the future, panels can simply be removed which is much simpler than modifying a masonry structure.

Other project team members included home energy rater Informed Energy Decisions, general contractor Wolbrink Assemblers, Inc. and Terrace & Garden Landscapes.