Chicago North Shore Home Earns LEED Platinum

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Glencoe, IL LEED Platinum exteriorA Glencoe, IL home has just been awarded a Platinum rating by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED for Homes program, the highest level possible. The house is only the second new-construction LEED Platinum home in the State of Illinois and the first LEED Platinum home on the North Shore. View the LEED Project Snapshot

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.
Glencoe, IL LEED Platinum rooflineThis 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.”

Glencoe, IL LEED Platinum interior

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

Numbers, Know-how and navigating LEED in affordable housing

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Join USGBC for a free 3-part webinar series exploring the green affordable housing movement.

– Examine market examples to discover factors driving green affordable housing, as well strategies for success and the benefits to going green when tackling affordable housing projects.
– Explore the synergies between keeping design and construction costs down and building in a responsible, sustainable fashion.
– Identify tools and strategies to finance retrofits of existing multifamily developments while taking an in-depth look at affordable housing and LEED.

All sessions will be held from 1:00 to 2:30 PM EDT.

Oct. 20, 2011

 Driving Smart Decisions in Green Affordable Housing

Nov. 3, 2011

 Financing Green Multifamily Retrofits

Dec. 8, 2011

 LEED Certified Affordable Housing: It gets better every time

Register today »

Each session in this series will be registered for 1.5 hours of continuing education with AIA/CES SD/HSW, and GBCI CMP hours for LEED professionals.

New Appraisal Form details Green and Solar Features

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The Appraisal Institute, the nation’s largest professional association of real estate appraisers, has made it easier to identify attributes of green homes. Last week, they released a form intended to help analyze values of energy-efficient home features. It is the first of its kind intended for appraisers’ use.

The new form is intended to be used as an optional addendum to Fannie Mae Form 1004, the appraisal industry’s most widely used form for mortgage lending purposes. Used by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration, Form 1004 is completed by appraisers to uphold safe and sound lending. Currently, the contributory value of a home’s green features is rarely part of the equation.


“This addendum is another example of how the Appraisal Institute is at the forefront of real estate valuation,” said Appraisal Institute President Joseph C. Magdziarz, MAI, SRA. “It will help the industry standardize the way residential energy-efficient features are analyzed and reported.”

The Appraisal Institute’s addendum allows appraisers to identify and describe a home’s green features, from solar panels to energy-saving appliances. Form 1004 devotes limited attention to energy efficient features, so green data usually doesn’t appear in the appraisal report, or it is included in a lengthy narrative that often is ignored.

Magdziarz pointed out that the Appraisal Institute’s form also will make it easier for appraisers to determine whether recent home sales should be used as comparable sales. Sales that are truly comparable are key components in determining a property’s value.

While the addendum won’t guarantee that an appraiser will raise a property’s value by tens of thousands of dollars for energy-efficient upgrades, it should guarantee at a minimum that energy improvements will be taken into account based on value adjustments consistent with local market conditions. More importantly, appraisers using the new addendum should be better equipped to identify accurate, area-specific comparable sales.

One of the interesting aspects of the form is the emphasis given to describing renewable energy systems such as solar photovoltaic. The form has an area where data collected by the appraiser could easily be used to calculate the net present value (NPV) of the energy savings from a solar energy system.  Other aspects include identification for third-party certifications such as LEED for homes.

Green Homes Cost of Ownership Research

Research – LEED Homes Cost of Ownership

It’s worth noting that this is an optional addendum to a traditional 1004 appraisal form. Hopefully the lending community will embrace this and builders, architects, lenders, appraisers, and other real estate professionals all find value in encouraging the use of this form for green homes.

Download the Appraisal Institute’s two-page green addendum,  which is also listed as part of the Green Real Estate Toolkit.

Learn more about the Green Addendum and how it will be used at a free event on Oct 24, 2012 in Oak Brook, IL.

And don’t forget to review the Green Home Institute research report showing the total cost of ownership savings found from building healthy, efficient green homes.

Free Green Building Educational Offering from

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Fall is an exciting time for and high-performance homes.  We will be offering several free LEED for Homes introductory classes that will introduce homeowners, builders, architects, developers, contractors and all interested in learning more about healthy, efficient, durable and affordable construction practices. Perfect for those who are looking to obtain their Green Associates or LEED AP Homes credential!

HOMES 252 – Full Day LEED for Homes Workshop

October 28, 2011 – Indianapolis, IN
Early bird pricing ends soon: Wed 10/19
November, 7th – Detroit, MI
Early bird pricing ends: Mon 10/31
November 11, 2011 – Chicago, IL
Early bird pricing ends: Tue 11/1

LEED 205 – Demystifying LEED for Homes. Free!

East Lansing – Oct 10th

Detroit – Oct 12th

Ann Arbor – Oct 19th

Flint – Oct 27th 

Kalamazoo – Nov 4th – Details TBA

In this 2-hour class, the LEED for Homes rating system will be explained, and then applied to case studies relevant to the local market. Common myths regarding level of documentation, cost, and credit requirements will be dispelled. The session will be followed by a catered networking lunch for attendees.

 2.0 CEU GBCI

More details on the class(es) can be found here https://greenhomeinstitute.org/education-and-events/

USGBC Workshop:  Homes 252 Understanding the LEED for Homes Rating System

November, 7th, Monday 8:30 am – 5 PM. 

 71 Garfield LLC
71 Garfield
Detroit, MI 48210

Lunch will be provided

Faculty: Taught by USGBC-trained faculty with real-world expertise and LEED project knowledge to share.
Sign up today!

Can’t Make Detroit? This full-day workshop will also be offered in Chicago  and Indianapolis.

Michigan Beach Homes on Target for LEED Platinum & on SALE!

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More details Here! 

Cottage Homes Summer Gate Open Houses LEED Platinum

Midwest LEED for Homes Training Events – Sign up now!

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In today’s business, LEED is the language of green. is now offering USGBC curriculum, with the following upcoming courses:

HOMES 252: Understanding the LEED for Homes Rating System
HOMES 301: Implementing the LEED for Homes Rating System

Learn how to apply the LEED for Homes rating system by walking through the phases and key decision points of a typical project. Engage with experienced LEED® Faculty™ and other participants to work hands- on with LEED implementation strategies and rating system tools.

Course Objectives

  • Communicate the unique aspects of LEED for Homes
  • Apply the LEED for Homes assessment and verification tools
  • Communicate the roles and responsibilities of various players in the LEED for Homes process
  • Identify key green decisions throughout the process of earning LEED for Homes certification

Faculty

Taught by USGBC-trained faculty with real-world expertise and LEED project knowledge to share.

Where?

HOMES 301: Implementing LEED for Homes
October 21, 2011 – Detroit
8:30 am – 5:00 pm at 71 Garfield LLC

HOMES 301: Implementing LEED for Homes
October 28, 2011 – Indianapolis
8:30 am – 5:00 pm location TBD

HOMES 301: Implementing LEED for Homes
November 11, 2011 – Covington, KY
8:30 am – 5:00 pm at TBD

HOMES 301: Implementing LEED for Homes
November 11, 2011 – Chicago
8:30 am – 5:00 pm at Merchandise Mart

Reasonable sponsorship packages available. Inquire with for details.

EARLY BIRD RATE: $199 for registration before October 10.

STANDARD RATE: $249 for registration after October 10.

Pay via PayPal (PayPal account not necessary):


Choose City




Pay by Check:

947 Wealthy St Se
Grand Rapids, MI 49506

Pay by phone: 616 – 458 – 6733

Questions? Contact Us.

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Certified Green Homes Have Price Premium

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In 2007, the Portland Regional Multiple Listing Service (“RMLS”) began tracking sales of homes with a green certification such as Energy Star, LEED for Homes, or Earth Advantage New Homes. The Earth Advantage Institute, an Oregon-based non-profit doing work in the green building sector, annually reviews this information in order to glean home valuation trends.

Specifically, Earth Advantage found that existing homes with a green certification sold for 30% more than homes without such a certification. Earth Advantage also found that new homes with a green certification sold for 8% more than new homes without a certification. The research is based on sales between May 1, 2010 and April 30, 2011.

In addition, Earth Advantage found that of 2,237 new homes sold in the last year in the Portland RMLS area, 408 of those homes were certified to some green standard.  Thus, the Portland area is seeing about 18-20% market share of certified new homes and these homes all have a sizable price premium.

Read the report summary by Earth Advantage Institute.

How does that impact Green homes located in the Midwest? Well first it provides support for general market trends. Furthermore, when you have appraisers calling for collaboration on green home values, and an increasing number of real estate boards adding Green MLS features, local research on cost of ownership, and lenders starting to offer green financing, it paints a pretty rosy picture for continued growth in the green homes market.

Senate Legislation Calls for Zero-Net-Energy Buildings by 2030

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A Bi-Partisan Congressional Effort Lands the 2030 Challenge Targets Back on the Senate Floor The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2011 was introduced yesterday by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). The bill places meeting the 2030 Challenge target of zero-net-energy for new buildings by 2030 as the first item in a comprehensive strategy for U.S. energy reductions in the building and industrial sectors. Specifically, Sec. 101 of the legislation, Greater Energy Efficiency in Building Codes, directs the Secretary of Energy to “establish targets for specific years” with each target “higher than the preceding target” on a “path to achieving zero-net-energy” by the year 2030. The baselines for incremental updates of the codes are the 2009 IECC for residential buildings and ASHRAE Standard 90.1–2010 for commercial buildings. The first code update, the 2012 IECC, which will be released in about a month, meets the initial 50% reduction target of the 2030 Challenge. The 2030 Challenge has been included in numerous other federal, state, and local pieces of legislation. This most recent bill offers another opportunity for the U.S. to realize the energy reduction targets of the 2030 Challenge.

Released on behalf of Architecture 2030

USGBC and Passive House Alignment

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The US Green Building Council (USGBC) and Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) have released the following letter of alignment:

USGBC’s LEED for Homes rating system and Passive House standard are complimentary green building systems. Both programs share the goal of making the US building stock more efficient, comfortable and sustainable places to live. While the Passive House standard focuses primarily on greatly reducing the heating and cooling loads of the home, LEED for Homes also promotes efficient material use, site selection and development, and rewards projects that improve their water efficiency and indoor air quality.

A Passive House is a very well‐insulated, virtually air‐tight building that is primarily heated by passive solar gain and by internal gains from people, electrical equipment, etc. Energy losses are minimized. Any remaining heat demand is provided by an extremely small source. Avoidance of heat gain through shading and window orientation also helps to limit any cooling load, which is similarly minimized. An energy recovery ventilator provides a constant, balanced fresh air supply. The result is an impressive system that not only saves up to 90% of space heating costs, but also provides terrific indoor air quality.

LEED for Homes is a national, voluntary certification system, developed by national experts and experienced builders, that promotes the design and construction of high‐performance green homes and encourages the adoption of sustainable practices by the homebuilding industry.

LEED certification is based on 18 prerequisites and 67 credits across 8 credit categories. Beyond energy and indoor air quality, LEED for Homes also takes into consideration material selection, water use, site selection/landscaping, location to local amenities/mass transit and homeowner education.

USGBC works regularly with Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) representatives to further green home building nationwide. USGBC and PHIUS agree that building and certifying a Passive House is a seamless compliance path for LEED for Homes Energy and Atmosphere section, and that homes are beginning to achieve dual certifications. In fact, USGBC is exploring the incorporation of the Passive House Standard into future iterations of the LEED for Homes program.

Cottage Home To Showcase Beach Homes in Upcoming Bus Tour

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South Haven, MI – Cutting energy and water consumption by 30 to 60 percent, lowering greenhouse emissions, and reducing exposure to mold, mildew and other toxins are a few of the persuasive reasons why more and more people are opting for sustainable-designed homes.
The trend toward greener home design and construction is growing both nationwide and along the West Michigan lakeshore. The highest level of sustainability is designing and building to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards.  Earlier this month, the LEED for Homes program gave a green stamp of approval on the 10,000th home nationwide, and there are more than 38,000 additional properties in progress.
To help area residents get a better idea of the possibilities for LEED-certifying a home in West Michigan, Cottage Home is sponsoring a LEED Home Tour of properties that the homebuilder designed and built along the lakeshore.
“Our goal is to improve existing lakeshore sites with new beach homes that are better for the environment and for homeowners’ quality of life,” said Brian Bosgraaf, Cottage Home president. “You don’t have to start from scratch; in fact, that’s not necessarily the most responsible way to approach a LEED-designed home.”
The Cottage Home bus tour event will be held May 6. Attendees will board a bus at Hawks Head Golf Course for an afternoon tour of five beach homes in the South Haven area before heading back to the course club house for an hors d’oeuvre and drink reception.
The cost of the event is $50 per person, with proceeds going toward the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy – an organization dedicated to protecting the diversity, stability and beauty of southwest Michigan by preserving the area’s natural and scenic lands.
Space is limited. For reservations, please call (616) 393-9460 or email Stephanie@cottagehome.com.
Cottage Home, which specializes in designing and constructing well-appointment beach houses and cottages, has built eight LEED-certified homes along the West Michigan lakeshore. To learn more about Cottage Home and view some of the builder’s properties, visit www.cottagehome.com.
For additional information on the LEED program, go to http://www.usgbc.org/leed.