Solar Verde Estates, New Development Banks Energy for Later Use

“ Solar Verde is a planned community of 20 zero-energy green homes in Chicago. The two completed zero-energy show models feature green products and features. The core of the energy savings is a photovoltaic energy system that can bank energy too. ”

Share on            

Email Friend     Contact Author

(iRealtyWire.Org) – Schmidt & Associates Inc. has completed the first two “ Zero Energy Green Homes” located at 9560 and 9562 South Marquette in Chicago at the Midwest’s first all Zero Energy Community called Solar Verde Estate.  It s the first development east of the Rocky Mountains to offer a roof-top photovoltaic system as a basic design feature.    
Solar Verde is  a planned community of 20 green homes in southeast Chicago.  

The two completed show models are reminiscent of turn-of-the-century Midwest catalogue (mail-order) homes.   The Minnesotan and the Californian each  are two-story, 1595 square feet,  with three bedrooms, 2-½ baths and a full basement.  The homes are available with three different facades or with a custom facade design. Not only are the homes Zero Energy, but these homes are affordable too starting at $339,000.  

PHOTOVALTAIC SYSTEM ALLOWS BANKING OF ENERGY
The unique feature about these homes is the 4-kW solar photovaltaic integrated roofing system, provided by Pure Energy Alternatives of Northbrook, Illinois and manufactured by Open Energy Corp. of Grass Valley, California. This system is expected to provide all the power and energy that the home will need for a typical family. This system does not consist of high maintenance batteries but rather relies on the Illinois mandated “net metering” agreement that feeds excess energy back to Common wealth Edison for credits and allows the homeowner to bank this energy for later use. Energy is produced during daylight, banked with the utility company for credits and used when the sun is not shining.  The size of the system is such that it allows the homeowner to benefit from a net zero electric bills during a one-year period.  In addition, the photovoltaic system is expected to reduce source emissions   by avoiding 41.82 pounds (lbs) of SO2, 30.05 lbs of NOx and more than 11,459 lbs of CO2.  Using 2003 USEPA estimates  for Greenhouse Gases-10,427 lbs of GHG are being avoided from release into the atmosphere do to the on-site photovoltaic system alone.

GREEN FEATURES GALORE
Other unique features of these homes are their energy efficient EPS (Extruded Polystyrene) exterior wall system. This is a prefabricated custom-made wall system provided by Techbuilt of Cleveland, Ohio. Made of 95%-recycled material (plastic and steel) these walls provide an R-40 exterior wall. Along with the R-50 cellulose attic insulation and 0.29 U-value rated Republic windows, this reduces the heating and cooling needs of the home by an estimated 50%. The homes are heated and cooled by an electric 45,000 BTU Carrier heat pump.

The all-electric homes are served by an instantaneous hot water heater the size of a brief case.  In addition, each home comes with all ENERGY STAR appliances by Frigidare and a second floor stack washer and dryer off the main hall helping the home owner reach an Energy Star Rating of 22 percent (%) where an ENERGY STAR qualified home, requires to be approximately 20% more energy efficient than 2004 IRC in the in northern climates requiring a HERS Index of 80%..

The homes include proper window and skylight placement for natural lighting and lighting fixtures with Compact Fluorescent Lighting (CFL). The floors are finished with bamboo floors and 100% PET carpet manufactured by Beaulieu. Tile is provided by Crossville and is made of 50% recycled content. The countertops are provided by Earthstone of Libertyville, Illinois using recycled plastic laminate. The Minnesotan features countertops with Hi-max 50% recycled solid surface material. No VOC paints, and low flow and double flush toilets are standard in the models. The kitchen and bath cabinetry are provided by Kitchen Village of Arlington Heights, IL. The cabinetry is sourced from Koch & Co of Seneca, Kansas and is built using no added –urea formaldehyde and rapidly renewable wheatboard. The cabinet faces are available in array of finishes and styles using sustainably forested beech wood. .                        

For information contact Schmidt & Associates Inc. at 847-291-7658.

For Photos see:  http://www.solarverde.com/news/gallery/index.htm

Note:
Emissions reduction potential of a grid-connected PV system depends more on the characteristics of the regional electricity system than on the available solar resource. A detailed analysis of historical PV generation, fossil generation, and fossil emissions data for your region will have specific characteristics such as fuel portfolio and demand patterns that determine the magnitude of emission reductions.  For this study extensive literature searches provided the basis of our emission reduction calculations.

 According to a 2003 USEPA estimate (1.4lbs of CO2 is released in the production of 1 kWh of electricity)