With the help of Nathan Kipnis, one ranch-home owner turned a mildewy relic into a 21st century beacon. The home, originally 1675 sf, was completely renovated to include 1600 sf of basement space, nearly doubling the living area. The addition of carefully selected architectural and construction elements transformed the home from dank and dark to airy, comfortable, and energy efficient.

Wight’s educational mission for sustainability does not end with plaques about green roofs and dual flush toilets (which had to be imported from Australia because no such thing existed in the US at the time of construction), but extends into the day to day operations of the firm itself. The firm offers LEED training classes to aid those preparing for the exam, Green Bag lunches to learn about products and technologies, and a Sustainability Forum encompassing Research and Development, the Green Library, Community Outreach, and the living laboratory that is the Darien office (the firm is constantly experimenting with different green building products and currently has seven different green roof plots on its roof in Darien).

In December 2005, the Village of Oak Park began construction on what will be the first LEED certified public works facility in the state of Illinois. Completed in September of 2007, the $26 million facility maintains an array of environmentally friendly features and systems, and is presently in the process of acquiring LEED Gold Certified rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. Green materials of the building include low-emission paints, adhesives, coatings, sealants and carpeting, while energy features include taking advantage of large windows for passive solar heat and installing an ultra-efficient HVAC system. What is more, the top of the building will be outfitted with a green roof.

The Heppner Residence is an example of extreme do-it-yourself green renovation. This existing 100 year-old wood frame single family home is being rebuilt by Tim and Charles Heppner, two brothers, with Tim acting as architect and performing most construction work himself. The Heppner brothers are seeking Energy Star and Chicago Green Homes certification for their new home.

Nearly every energy conservation measure possible has been applied in this green home in order to reach the zero energy goal. The remaining heating and cooling are provided by a geothermal system. The project has received city approval and is seeking state approval for a greywater and rainwater harvesting system that will be used both for toilet flushing and irrigation. The inverted roof visible in the rendering is designed for rainwater collection, but also cleverly hides the solar hot water and solar electric panels that round out the energy approach. This is a nice example of a design statement and two different performance goals all working in tandem.

Location
454 E. 44th St., Chicago, IL 60653   Map
Owner
Julian Dawson
Architect
Ray/Dawson, P.C.
Hybrid House I is a 2,000 sf, two-bedroom single family home that is as cutting-edge as the immediately adjacent IIT Urban House I. Although privately owned and occupied, the project is being constructed in partnership with the African-American Home Builders Association as a community resource. Like [...]