Home, has seen the benefits of what goes into a LEED home, and wanted to experience it first hand. For his family it was important to be close to the places they go the most. With the kids’ school only two blocks up the road and downtown being so close to this location, it just made sense. Working in the lakeshore environment and observing how homes react in some of the most drastic weather conditions also influenced how Jeremy chose to put the house together; choosing to go beyond building code and accepted building practices and striving to reach some of the highest standards in energy efficiency and sustainability. As it was built amongst some of the oldest homes in  the city, the house needed to blend in and age as gracefully as those around it.

Completed in 2009, it is not only Chicago’s first LEED Platinum-certified home, but it has scored higher than any other LEED-certified project in history. Architect Farr Associates, builder Goldberg General Contracting Inc. and engineering MEP firm dbHMS created this urban infill project to utilize aspects of alternative energies through passive solar, solar grid technology, a greywater system and closed looped geothermal heating and cooling components. According to owner Michael Yannell, the main goal of this project was to create a more energy- and water-efficient, environmentally conscious place to live and to set an example by building a home as sustainable as possible. Incidentally, the green materials generally were no more expensive than conventional alternatives.

This Net-Zero-Energy residence was built using the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED for Homes Pilot Program regulations. In order to earn the coveted LEED Platinum-certification, a project must meet the 100-point requirement, in which the Yannell residence scored 115.5. According to Net-Zero statistics, the Yannell residence generates 18,000 kWh/yr and uses only 12, 689 kWh/yr, earning the Yannell property an approximate $52,000 in tax credits in 2008-2009.

According to Jonathon Boyer, principal and director of architecture for Farr Associates, the permit and design processes were a challenge from the beginning, but thanks to help from a hand-picked team, deadlines were met and the project was a success.

“We put together a team of engineers, contractors and a landscape architect, and the entire project was a team effort,” Boyer said. “Building Net-Zero-Energy is very difficult, and it requires cooperation between all components and consultants. We believe we’ve broken the sound barrier with this house, especially in the Chicago area.” 

This being the first LEED-certified home came with obstacles along the way. According to Boyer, by creating new systems such as the greywater system, which recycles water used from the washing machine for the toilets, it was tricky trying to solidify the permit process. It has opened up new options for Chicago to consider when building more sustainable homes.

“It was a learning process, the city of Chicago was open to it. We didn’t have any hard and clear standards in the city for permitting this kind of system,” Boyer explained. “As a result of this house, the city of Chicago Committee of Standards and Tests is adopting a new state / city code for rainwater / greywater reuse. “We were pioneers and induced the city to think about changing permits to use more sustainable elements into the residential market,” Boyer said.

Other than utilizing alternative energies, the Yannell residence’s modern design integrated into the traditional neighborhood fuses form with function in a dense infill space. The home was built on a recycled lot where the previous building could not be salvaged. Boyer explained that typically energy-efficient homes are bland and lack style, but in this case, the owner and the building team wanted something well-designed and unique.”He [owner, Michael Yannell] wanted

something aesthetically compelling and functional,” Boyer said.

The floor plan is designed as a dual-wing connected by a foyer, which acts as an entry and passageway, both equipped with south-facing windows to utilize natural light and garden views. The positioning of the wings help compete with the Midwestern climate year-round. With temperatures ranging from the high 90s in the summer to blistering zero-below winters, it was crucial to find the most sustainable design possible. Each wing has a uniquely shaped multi-functional V-shaped green-roof designed for stormwater management and for concealing the 48 photovoltaic grids on the home. “The

This summarizes our energy production and consumption for calendar year 2011.

Statistics

Solar electricity produced: 6033 kW h (16.5 kW h per day)
Electricity consumed: 6150 kW h (16.8 kW h per day)
Non-heating: 5350 kW h,  heating: 800 kW h
Net electricity deficit: 117 kW h (-2%)

Discussion

Our first 12-month report started April 1 2010 when we first activated the PV system and went through April 1 2011, but this report covers calendar year 2011 so there are a few months of overlap. For calendar year 2011 we fell just short of our goal to produce more electricity than we consumed, with a net deficit of 117 kW h for the year. Compared to our first 12 months of operation, average daily production dropped by 0.3 kW h but consumption increased 1.8 kW h. Some of that is due to having an additional family member living here since mid-year, and some is due to adding an upright freezer that uses about 1 kW / day.

Below is a graph showing the inside (red) and outside (blue) temperatures that we recorded throughout the year. Overall the house was very comfortable, with just a few days in the upper 70s during some hot summer weather when allergies made us reluctant to open up the house at night since our ventilation system filters out pollen from the incoming air.

The graph below shows the heat storage tank temperatures over the year. The big gap is when we drained the tank due to a leak, and we were able to get the tank warmed up again in the fall but not to the degree we would have liked.

Follow their blog at http://brainright.com/

Consistent appraisals of homes and businesses outfitted with photovoltaic (PV) installations are a real challenge for the nation’s real estate industry, but a new tool developed by Sandia National Laboratories and Solar Power Electric™ and licensed by Sandia addresses that issue. Sandia scientists, in partnership with Jamie Johnson of Solar Power Electric™, have developed PV Value^TM, an electronic form to standardize appraisals. Funded by the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the tool will provide appraisers, real estate agents and mortgage underwriters with more accurate values for PV systems.

“Previous methods for appraising PV installations on new or existing construction have been challenging because they were not using standard appraisal practices,” said Geoff Klise, the Sandia researcher who co-developed the tool. “Typically, appraisers develop the value of a property improvement based on comparable properties with similar improvements as well as prevailing market conditions. If there aren’t PV systems nearby, there is no way to make an improvement comparison. When a PV system is undervalued or not valued at all, it essentially ignores the value of the electricity being produced and the potential savings over the lifetime of the system. By developing a standard methodology for appraisers when comparables are not available, homeowners will have more incentive to install PV systems, even if they consider moving a few years after system installation.”

The tool uses an Excel spreadsheet, tied to real-time lending information and market fluctuations, to determine the worth of a PV system. An appraiser enters such variables as the ZIP code where the system is located, the system size in watts, the derate factor – which takes into account shading and other factors that affect a system’s output – tracking, tilt and azimuth, along with a few other factors, and the spreadsheet returns the value of the system as a function of a pre-determined risk spread. The solar resource calculation in the spreadsheet is based on the PVWatts^TM simulator developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which allows the spreadsheet to value a PV system anywhere in the U.S.

“With PV Value™, appraisers can quickly calculate the present value of energy that a PV system can be estimated to produce during its remaining useful lifetime, similar to the appraisal industry’s income approach,” said Johnson. “Additionally, a property owner thinking about installing PV can now estimate the remaining present value of energy for their future PV system and what it could be worth to a purchaser of their property at any point in time in the event a sale of the property takes place before the estimated payback date is reached.”

The tool is being embraced by the Appraisal Institute, which is the nation’s largest professional association of real estate appraisers. “From my perspective as an appraiser, I see that this is a great tool to assist the appraiser in valuations, and it connects to the Appraisal Institute’s recent Residential Green and Energy Efficient Addendum. It’s an easy, user-friendly spreadsheet that will not bog the appraiser down with a lot of extra time in calculations, and if they fill out the addenda properly, they’ll be able to make the inputs and come up with some numbers fairly quickly,” said Sandy Adomatis, SRA, a real estate appraiser and member of the Appraisal Institute.

Although the tool is licensed for solar PV installations, it could be used for other large green features in a home that generate income, such as wind turbines. The spreadsheet, user manual and webinar explaining the tool are available for download at http://pv.sandia.gov/pvvalue.

Solar Power Electric™ located in Port Charlotte, Fla., is an electrical contracting and solar integration company specializing in the installation of commercial and residential photovoltaic systems.

Sam Pobst has offered to host a LEED for Homes meeting and tour at his house under construction.

Sam is targeting a LEED Platinum House. He has incorporated many very efficient features. In fact, the recent blower door test came in at “0.26 ACH, the lowest reading the Green Rater, Mike Holcomb has ever had. ”

This house attempted Passive Haus certification but fell short. Many lessons are to be learned as to why it was not achieved.

MARK YOUR CALENDER if you want to see this stellar construction in process:

Date: Friday, February 3, 2012
Time: 10 am – 12 pm
Address & Info:

13691 Beckwith Drive NE

Lowell, MI 49331

616-648-7493

Follow the project here http://sumacgrove.blogspot.com/

As part of this Revision, all major program documents have been updated. A Revision 05 Version Tracking Document, containing all of the specific changes in this Revision, has also been created. EPA strongly encourages partners to review these documents. The most substantial updates are summarized below:

Thermal Enclosure System Rater Checklist
 A new alternative to meeting 2009 IECC insulation requirements has been provided for homes that achieve ≤ 50% of the infiltration rate defined in the ENERGY STAR Reference Design.
 The timeline for complying with the minimum insulation levels required at attic eaves has been extended. In the interim, homes with space constraints are permitted to meet less stringent levels.
 Drywall adhesive (but not other construction adhesives) may now be used to seal drywall to top plates.
 Foam sealant may now be used in place of caulk to seal sill plates to foundations or sub-floors. Note that a foam gasket is still also required beneath the sill plate if resting atop concrete or masonry and adjacent to conditioned space.
 Batts that completely fill floor cavities enclosed on all six sides may be used, even when compression occurs due to excess insulation, as long as the R-value of the batts has been appropriately assessed based on manufacturer guidance and the only defect preventing the insulation from achieving the
required installation grade is the compression caused by the excess insulation. This policy replaces the
list of specific permutations of R-values and cavity depths that are permitted to be used.
 The methodology for evaluating compliance with the reduced thermal bridging requirements for mass
walls that are not part of a passive solar design (e.g., CMU block or log home enclosure) has been
clarified.

HVAC System Quality Installation Contractor Checklist
 Until credentials are available specifically for heating, cooling, and ventilation system designers, either the builder (or a firm or HERS Rater hired by the builder) or the credentialed HVAC contractor (or a firm or HERS Rater hired by the credentialed contractor) are permitted to design such systems and to complete Sections 1 through 5 of the Checklist. As always, the designer must comply with applicable codes and laws that regulate HVAC designers and HVAC designs. In all cases, Sections 6 through 12 of the Checklist may only be completed by a credentialed HVAC contractor.
 If there are no forced-air heating or cooling systems in the home, then Section 1 is the only section of the Checklist that must be completed. This is true even in such homes that use a forced-air ventilation system, because ASHRAE 62.2-2010 does not prescribe room-level duct design requirements for the ventilation system.
HVAC System Quality Installation Rater Checklist
 The maximum total Rater-measured duct leakage limit has been increased to 8 CFM25 per 100 square feet of conditioned floor area for all homes.
 Because the Checklist already limits total duct leakage, the mandatory requirement to seal and inspect duct boots has been removed. This change simply allows partners to use their judgment to determine when to seal duct boots to floors, walls, and ceilings to meet the total duct leakage limit.
 The method for performing bedroom pressure balancing tests has been clarified to require that all bedroom doors be closed and all air handlers be operating.
 The sone limits for multispeed ventilation and exhaust fans have been clarified by requiring that they be met when producing no less than the minimum airflow rate required.
 A footnote has been added to Item 2.7 and 2.8, which relate to balancing, to indicate that these
requirements do not apply to ventilation ducts

Energy Star Updates can be found at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=bldrs_lenders_raters.nh_v3_policy_changes_clarifications

The Washington Avenue home was designed by Nathan Kipnis, AIA of Kipnis Architecture + Planning of Evanston and built by Scott Simpson Builders of Northbrook. Owners Barry and Natalie Slotnick moved into the house in April of 2011 with their two young children.
This home is unique in its commitment to staying within the aesthetic of the surrounding community while implementing a wide range of green goals. It’s one of the few LEED homes to take a non-modernist approach to its exterior, as well as being informed by traditional low-impact building philosophies. The home is classic in its style, form and proportions, yet modern in its use of materials, colors and systems. Green features include passive, natural ventilation; passive solar heating and cooling; water-efficient indoor plumbing fixtures including a waterless urinal; low and no-VOC finishes and fixtures; standing seam metal roofing; cement fiberboard siding; and prefabricated framing.

Architect Kipnis states, “The house was built for 40% of the cost of the first LEED Platinum home in Illinois and in a style that appeals to a much wider cross section of the public. While these homes can be thought of as pioneering efforts, if the goal is to engage the public then the design should be contextual to neighborhood and not be aesthetically shocking.  The Slotnick’s home is a perfect example of this.”

LEED for Homes is a voluntary, third-party certification program developed by residential experts and experienced builders. LEED promotes the design and construction of high performance green homes, and encourages the adoption of sustainable practices throughout the building industry.

Download the LEED Project Snapshot

Contacts:
Barry Slotnick – 847-875-4920; bslotnick@varisport.com
Nathan Kipnis – 847-864-9650; nkipnis@kipnisarch.com

Designed by Young & Young Architects, the contemporary “green” house is constructed of stone, cement plaster, copper, and glass. A bridge connects two sections of the home. The landscaping consists of indigenous, drought-resistant plants and grasses. all the materials used to build an ultra-green home in Bloomfield Township came from within a 500-mile radius, to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) requirements. But the idea for the house took root thousands of miles away.

“We travel to South America a lot, and when we’d fly over the jungle, we’d notice large swaths being clear-cut and burned,” says Art Roffey, who owns the home with his wife, Gail Danto.

“We spent time with the tribal people, and they would talk in terms of being custodians of their land, but they were seeing it disappear,” he says. “That was a big influence for wanting to build our home.”

The couple also noticed the recession of glaciers in the Andes. So, when they decided to build their house on Indian Pond, they were keenly aware of the environment.

The 1950s-era home formerly on the site was deconstructed, and all the materials were recycled and donated to the non-profit Architectural Salvage Warehouse of Detroit.

“We wanted to build a house that was beautiful and elegant and also honor the environment at the same time,” Danto says.

By all accounts, they accomplished that, with the assistance of Bloomfield Hills-based Young & Young Architects (Don Paul Young was the principal architect); LEED consultant Jim Newman, from Newman Consulting Inc. in Bloomfield Hills; Joseph Maiorano, from the Artisans Group in Royal Oak; and interior designer Diane Hancock, of Diane Hancock Designs.

At press time, the house was under review by the U.S. Green Building Council for Platinum certification — the highest level. The design also resulted in five 2011 Detroit Home Design Awards last March.

The home, which Roffey and Danto moved into in January 2010, is green as grass: Heating and cooling is geothermal; electricity is supplemented by 30 solar panels; a graywater system filters and stores water for non-drinkable reuse; the roof is recycled copper; and all appliances are Energy Star compliant.

Sustainability harvested teak was used extensively, as was lyptus wood. “You cut it at the trunk, and it grows a new trunk, which is the ultimate in recycling,” Roffey says.

Some of the furniture was designed by Hancock, who used recycled materials for fabric. Several Hancock-designed pieces were made by local artisans, Danto says.

Wherever possible, recycled or repurposed materials were employed. A circa 1900 leaded-glass window, bought at Materials Unlimited in Ypsilanti, is in the kitchen. Several Art Deco light fixtures and grates were also repurposed.

“We like integrating old and new,” Roffey says, and that sentiment extends to their extensive art collection.

“We have a lot of old Peruvian art,” Danto explains, “but we also have a large art glass collection, which is very contemporary.”

Weavings from Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru mingle with Asian art. Several of the artworks are displayed in lighted niches throughout the

7,500-square-foot house.

One challenge for the architects was the topography.

“A natural swale cuts through the middle of the property and actually bisects it,” Roger Young says. The solution was to create two sections, eastern and western pods, linked by a bridge. Echoing Frank Lloyd Wright’s organic-architecture philosophy of bringing the outdoors in, the architects created the home so that it’s flooded with natural light from copious windows and skylights.

Young also strove for an organic flow, “to create spaces that aren’t rooms. There’s a big difference.” That effect was achieved by fewer walls and doors, which delineate space.

The outdoor property was also designed with an eye toward the environment.

“The whole landscape is indigenous materials, and all the plants are drought-tolerant,” Young says. But, he adds, it was a tough sell to local officials.

“In Bloomfield Township, as in most municipalities, you have to have lawn,” he says. “So we had to convince them that these hedge grasses grow to a certain height and then stop growing. Eventually, they got on board.”

For Young, that victory was sweet, because it’s paying dividends.

“When you walk into the Bloomfield Township building department, there’s a huge LEED wall with testimonials on how others can go green,” he says. “They use this house as a case study.”
More details http://leedforhomesusa.com/drc/roffey.pdf

BY GEORGE BULANDA
http://www.detroithomemag.com/Detroit-Home/Summer-2011/Taking-the-LEED/

 PHOTOGRAPHS BY JUSTIN MACONOCHIE

The downstairs sitting room, rife with art, contains a bar in the background. The fabric on the blue chairs is made from bamboo.	Like the floors, the spiral staircase is made from plantation-grown teak. The cylindrical column in the center is made from recycled steel and supplies heating and cooling. A skylight is at the top. The stained-glass window in the rear was designed by architect Don Paul Young. On the wall hangs one of the couple’s many South American weavings.	Lighted niches supply a home for many of Art Roffey and Gail Danto’s artworks. This glass, metal, and stone piece is by Herb Babcock, chairman of the glass department at the College for Creative Studies.	The hallway is drenched in natural light from the skylight.
A bridge connects the home’s two pods.	A lower-level sitting room containing a daybed can also be used as another guest bedroom. The Asian screen at right was bought several years ago by Gail Danto. The large window (all windows have low-e coating) brings nature indoors.	The guest bedroom contains a large wall painting by CCS grad Kyle Benning.	The kitchen contains a circa 1900 leaded-glass window (top) bought at Ypsilanti’s Materials Unlimited. The cabinets are made of lyptus wood. When the trunk of the tree is cut, it grows back, a process Art Roffey calls “the ultimate in recycling.”
A cascading beaded-glass chandelier in the dining room. Art Roffey and Gail Danto have an extensive contemporary glass collection; the bowl on the table was bought at the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair.	The living and dining rooms flow seamlessly, without conventional walls and doors limiting space. Natural light spills into the living room through abundant windows. The teak on the ceiling recess matches the floors.