LEED for Homes Illinois

32 three-bedroom homes leasing at $590/month in Jerseyville, IL
Solar panels and wind turbines drive utility bills to $0; preliminary LEED Platinum rating

The long-awaited vision of affordable, net-zero, green living is finally taking shape in a St. Louis-area cornfield in southern Illinois, where 32 single-family homes will rent for $590 per month. Solar panels, wind turbines and other technologies will bring utility bills down to $0. At completion the homes are expected to earn LEED Platinum certification, with AES serving as the LEED for Homes Provider.

Groundbreaking Event for Lexington Farms Subdivision
Where: Fairgrounds & Cemetery Aves., Jerseyville, IL
When: September 14th, 11:00 AM

“Cutting edge green renewable technology has been a cost-prohibitive, inner-city luxury that few could afford. Until today,” said Bill Luchini, President of Capstone Development Group. “This development will be rented to rural families that earn less than $41,000 per year. And they won’t have a gas bill. They won’t have a heating bill. When they get their electric bill, it is more likely to be credit instead of a cost. Green technology will truly make a more affordable and more sustainable life for everyone in the community.”

Funding for the development includes Federal Tax Credit Equity from the National Equity Fund. Financing from the Illinois Housing Development Authority keeps the development affordable for working families over the long term. Sterling Bank provided additional financing.

Each of the 32 single-family homes will offer three bedrooms, two full bathrooms and an attached two-car garage. A separate building will contain a clubhouse/resource center, a community room with kitchenette and bathroom, a conference room, a computer lab, the property manager’s office and a storage room. Native plants will landscape the site to cut water use, and a state-of-the-art playground will be included.

Once finished, it will also stand as the first LEED Platinum Certified affordable community of its kind in the nation.

Building Highlights

The homes will measure roughly 1,230 square feet and include central air conditioning, heating, hot water and other appliances that all run on electricity, supplied by roof-mounted solar panels on every home plus wind turbines throughout the subdivision. Even the streetlights will run on wind and solar power.

Modern construction methods will cut building waste to nearly zero. The design will use highly energy-efficient materials, support long-term durability and easy maintenance, and create a clean indoor air environment.

* Sustainable landscape practices include efficient irrigation systems
* Water efficient faucets, showerheads and WaterSense toilets
* Bathroom and kitchen exhaust vented to the outdoors removing sources of pollutants
* Energy-efficient design, ENERGY STAR appliances, exceeding ENERGY STAR for New Homes requirements
* Wall insulation at R-21 and R-49 insulation in the attic
* Well sealed and air-tight construction reducing drafts
* Low VOC paints
* Energy efficient florescent light fixtures
* Argon gas U35-rated low-e windows
* Extensive use of recycled materials

Construction is set to begin in September 2010. The first homes will be finished and available to lease in late 2010 to families earning 60% of the area median income (60% AMI). The demand for affordable family housing is especially strong in the rural Illinois suburbs of St. Louis. A recent market study found that the median family income in Jerseyville is 36% lower than the rest of Illinois, and one-third of all Jerseyville families earn less than $25,000 per year.

Story Tags: affordable housing, jerseyville, LEED Platinum, prefab, solar pv, st louis

Previous Article: USGBC Releases Green Homeowner Manual

Next Article: Healthy Home 2010 to Max out IEQ Points

5 Responses to “Net-Zero Affordable Homes Come to Illinois”