The home is seeking Chicago Green Homes certification, starting with a variety of energy-efficiency strategies. The existing walls will be insulated with soy-based spray foam insulation, and a geothermal system will provide heating and cooling. As in many green homes, clerestory windows at the top of a central light and air shaft open to provide natural ventilation. Here, though, the windows will open and close automatically in response to a temperature sensor. Similarly, window shades will raise and lower automatically in response to daylight. These features and more will be controlled by a computer-based building automation system, typically only seen in commercial buildings.

Location
2125 W. North, Chicago, IL 60647  Map
Owner
Center for Neighborhood Technology
Architect
Jonathan Boyer
(Now of Farr Associates)
The Center for Neighborhood Technology’s (CNT) 15,000 sf renovation of their Wicker Park home in a former weaving factory was the second LEED® Platinum certified building in Chicago (CCGT was the first). Having received its certification in 2005 and being completed more [...]

Urban House 1 is a two-story, 1800 sf, three bedroom wood-frame house being built through a new design/build course at the Illinois Institute of Technology, College of Architecture. Students tackle sustainable design, healthy construction, social responsiveness and design excellence simultaneously.