Brad Schreiber of City View Real Estate built a fit house. I thought this was interesting--what makes a "green" house:
l. Exterior materials--he chose limestone quarried from Indiana ( He lives in Chicago) and General Shale brick from Kentucky.
2. Location: The FitHouse is roughly two miles from downtown Chicago, a distance easily accessible by bike or train. Restaurants and shops are a short stroll away.
3. Low-emission materials: Sherwin Williams paint and stains, Armstrong flooring material, cabinetry and insulation are all low VOC, meaning hat they don't release significant toxins into indoor air.
4. Heating and cooling systems: Trane's CleanEffects heating and cooling system filters 99 % of allergens from the air. Thermostats are multizoned so the system can maximize efficiency as heating or cooling needs change from floor to floor.
5. Water Use: Water heating is carefully regulated to help save energy. As demand fluctuates, a processor regulates the amount of water being heated by a high-efficiency , Energy Star-certified boiler. Storage tanks recirculate the hot water, allowing the boiler to turn on less often.
6. Triple-paned windows:"among the most energy efficient available" Schreiber says. They also seal out noise.
7. Recycled roofing: Although the roofing material looks like slate. It's actually made of recycled industrial rubber and plastic
8. Extra insulation. Ordinarily studs-supports that hold up interior walls--are set flush against exterior walls. Here the studs are offset half an inch, leaving room for insulation between the studs and the exterior walls.
9. Natural light: Clerestory windows help provide natural light, which floods from the penthouse down the staircase to the floors below. The more natural light you have the less electric light you need.
10. Greenroom: Rooftop landscaping provides extra insulation, absorbs rainwater, and reduces reflected sunlight
11. Recycled decking--Trex decking used on the garage-top terrace is made of a combination of reclaimed wood and recycled plastic.
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Thank you, Elaine, for bringing this to our attention! Let's find a counter part in our Coachella Valley. This is a call. Who else is interested in finding and supporting green builders and contractors trained in using green materials? I'd love us to start a list here...we can support each other to grow the list and do business with those taking a stand in support of the environment and the new things we've learned about building. I recently visited the Palm Desert Visitor's Center & they have a wonderful array of green friendly materials there. Other thoughts about how to share these resources are welcomed. Perhaps Elaine can be our 'go to' gal for the current list. The real estate profession is lucky to have you, Elaine! lg
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