Different types of 'green' homes grow in suburbs
Green home building is a growing trend in new construction, as the recent construction of two such homes within blocks of each other in Elmhurst shows, according to Laura Reedy Stukel, EcoBroker certified agent at LW Reedy Real Estate in Elmhurst.
The first was custom built by Styczynski Walker and Associates using National Association of Home Builders standards.
But that is not the only standard by which green buildings are currently judged in the United States.
The other green home recently built in Elmhurst is located at 250 N. Myrtle St. and will go on the market in May, Stukel said. It is being built using the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED standard.
The LEED standard uses an off-site registration process to certify that the products and techniques used in a project meet green requirements. Projects can meet one of four certification levels ranging from LEED certified to LEED Platinum.
The builder of the home at 250 N. Myrtle is Linda Marick of Lindam Properties Group.
Like the Styczynski-built home, the Marick home has many unique green features. For instance, it was designed to incorporate extensive natural lighting to reduce the use of light fixtures. Even the lower level features an oversized light well with standard double-hung windows and decking for a large container garden. The result is a space that looks and functions like above-grade rooms, but significantly reduces heating and cooling loads.
Some of the other green highlights of the 3000-square-foot house include water-conserving plumbing fixtures and a tankless water heater, Energy Star roofing with reflective tiles that reflect heat away from the house and extensive insulation to Energy Star standards.
The interior finishes also include green features such as salvaged hardwood flooring and a hearth on the lower level fireplace that was constructed from road bricks reclaimed from Myrtle Street when the road was converted to asphalt.
Stukel, who specializes in green and energy-efficient homes, believes the two homes represent the beginning of a new trend in home building in Elmhurst.
The current economic situation and fluctuating energy costs are driving consumers to look for smaller, cozier homes with the highest energy efficiency possible, she said.
"Buyers today are really focused on how much it costs to operate a home," she said. "Even buyers who don't think they are green will love how bright and clean this home feels right when they step inside. They will see how you can really maximize the space and enjoy it more - while at the same time minimizing how much you spend to run it - when a home is well-planned and constructed."
Marick will host a "Green Reality Open House" from 1 to 3 p.m., Sunday, May 3. There will be opportunities for a self-guided tour of the home and its green features and each hour there will be a short presentation, demonstration of one of the products used in the home and question-and-answer session For more information, visit greenreedyhomes.com.
"Building has been around for thousands of years," Marick said. "LEED is looking at construction in a future-focused way that maintains the integrity of the structure like we have always done. But now we know how to build in a way that conserves resources both through the build process and the end product.
"LEED is the future. All building codes will be green codes someday soon," she said, adding that someone who purchases a green home today will have the features needed for resale down the road.