Newest houses build a better environment

Today, green building is red hot.

More and more builders are constructing certified green homes, implementing some aspects of green building in their designs or offering green option packages to homebuyers.

A green home uses less energy, water and natural resources, creates less waste, and provides a healthier living environment than a standard home.

The U.S. Green Building Council, through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program, allows builders to certify their homes when they meet criteria in several different categories.

Builders who go beyond code can even achieve higher levels of LEED certification when they accumulate enough points to qualify.

For example, Robert Lord Builders now showcases its latest masterpiece, an ultimate green home: a one-of-a-kind, eco-friendly residence in St. Charles that features state-of-the-art energy-efficient systems and green products.

The 15,000-square-foot home is an impressive example of a custom luxury home that doesn't have to be small, simple or modest to be green and renewably responsible. The living spaces are resourcefully cooled, heated and insulated with components that produce unheard of energy savings.

"We've thought of everything possible to provide this home's owner not only with the lowest utility bills possible, but with environmental peace of mind," said Robert Lord, a master builder and certified green professional. "From the roof to the windows to the lighting to the flooring to the foundation, and even extending outside to the driveway and the pool, virtually every facet of this home is green.

"We closely scrutinized everything in the building of the home: where a product was manufactured, the distance it traveled to get here, the rule of obsolescence, and how we renew or dispose of construction waste."

Inspired by French Provincial architecture, the home is also designed to pamper homeowners with lavish appointments and high-end features.

"Yes, it's the ultimate green home, but it's also the ultimate dream home," Lord said.

Some features include elegant octagonal twin turrets shown as a formal dining room and home office and first-floor octagonal master suite with 16-foot tray ceiling lined with curved, detailed beams, plus a fireplace with hand-carved French mantel and a travertine marble surround. The bath features a whirlpool tub, six-foot waterfall and three-step-up, 12-function control multi-spray shower system and much more.

Lord's home is priced at $4.8 million. For more information or to schedule an appointment to see the property, call Christopher Fischer or Elyece Miller at (630) 377-1855. For more information on Robert Lord Builders Inc., visit www.robertlordbuilders.com or call (630) 584-9009.

St. Thomas Homes presented a gold-certified green home at this year's Cavalcade of Homes at Stewart Ridge of Plainfield, a 50-acre development of 96 home sites with luxury custom homes by several custom builders to create diversity within the community.

Rich Cannavino, president of St. Thomas Homes and a certified green professional, designed the five-bedroom, 4,200-square-foot Tiana Leanor, which met strict requirements for certification in seven key areas, including energy savings.

The custom home is equipped with Energy Star appliances and windows, recycled materials, and an open cell, foam insulation system. The most notable green element within the home is the geothermal heating and cooling units, which uses the free, renewable energy found on one's own property.

"The heart and soul of this home is its geothermal heating and cooling system," Cannavino said. "I am the first Cavalcade builder to use this system, where the units connect to a water holding tank that feeds into high efficiency, on demand, tankless gas water heaters. Homeowners will have up to 50 percent savings on heating, cooling and hot water costs."

The benefits of certified green homes and buildings are substantial. Lower priced energy bills, cleaner air, less waste, natural sound barriers, and the conservation of water, gas, and trees are just a few examples.

Another exciting aspect of this home is the use of limestone from a rain forest in the master bath where fossils of roots and branches create a pattern in the stone. "It's cool looking, and proceeds go to replenishing the rain forest," Cannavino said.

The home features a luxurious tropical island interior with memorable children's rooms. The girl's room shows a mural of beach huts, cabana over the bed and a grassy bed skirt. In the boy's room, the bed is a pier coming out of the waves of the wall mural.

"This was the first time I built a house like this," said Cannavino, a National Association of Home Builders-certified graduate builder. "My education to get certified opened my eyes, and I realized I was doing a lot of this already. So I notched it up."

The Tiana Leanor at Stewart Ridge of Plainfield is at 12153 Sinclair Drive. The community is located on Heggs Road one mile west of Route 30 and a quarter mile south of 119th. The builder also offers new floor plans with first-floor master suites. For more information, call (815) 436-4999.

Town and Country Homes is also going green by offering home buyers Green Package options with a selection of features designed to save energy and help preserve the environment in their new home.

The builder includes many Green Package options in its model homes to showcase the application of this technology. For example, at Hunt Club in Oswego, the Elkridge model shows Energy Star appliances and washer and dryer; all windows have low E glazing; and light fixtures include ceiling fans and efficient compact florescent bulbs, said Brian Murphy, vice president of operations for Town and Country Homes.

Some Green Package options include paddle fan outlets (for installation of paddle or ceiling fans, which can reduce the need for air conditioning in the summer months), renewable wood flooring such as lyptus wood or bamboo, high efficiency and/or dual zone heating and cooling systems that can dramatically reduce energy consumption and save money, and Energy Star appliances, including dishwashers, refrigerators and washers and dryers, that have been specially designed to use less water and less electricity.

More Green Package options such as extra insulation in attic areas, including high-tech spray foam insulation products, are also offered, as well as custom green options that are not part of the builder's standard options list.

Town and Country says response to the new Green Package options has been exceptional, as more and more buyers are asking for alternatives to traditional products and about ways they can help the environment.

"We've received an overwhelming reaction to our Green Package options, which means we are right on target with this initiative," Murphy said. "Demand has been great for items like lyptus wood flooring, which is not only durable and renewable, but also has a great look that people love."

Hunt Club by Town & Country Homes is a new single-family home community at 4701 Laughton Ave. in Oswego. For more information, call (630) 551-7060.

At The Heritage of Palatine, R. Franczak & Associates showcases a luxury condominium unit with an eco-friendly interior.

The eco-chic Colfax model is most notable because the design team used many eco-friendly materials, such as sustainable, organic, recycled and reclaimed materials; and low toxicity paints, all to reduce a carbon footprint on the earth, said Katie Campbell, sales manager for R. Franczak & Associates.

The Colfax features a neutral color scheme of crèmes and mushrooms accented with unique design materials, said Beth Severson, who owns MB Interiors with her sister Mary Hauserman.

Some of these eco-chic items include bamboo wood floors, green-guard recyclable wall paper, shelves made of reclaimed railroad ties, draperies and pillows made with organic cotton and hemp fabrics, sand cast recyclable aluminum chairs and a table made from reclaimed auto and bicycle tires. The unit also features Energy Star appliances and low volatile organic compound, or VOC, paints.

"This is first time we've done an eco-friendly unit, and it's the first time the builder is offering bamboo flooring," Severson said. "It's very exciting.

"We've received so much information during the past year about being eco-friendly, and all our vendors are coming forward with eco-friendly products. It's very popular, and I believe it's not just a trend, but the way of the future.

"We had a blast doing it," Severson said. "If you research enough, you can do it for the same cost as traditional décor; of course, some items are extremely unique, and there are exceptions to the rule."

The Heritage of Palatine by R. Franczak & Associates is a new 48-unit luxury condominium development at 50 S. Greeley St. in downtown Palatine. For more information, call (847) 705-6238.