Download Green Armitage News Release March 2008

Media Contact:
Sue Markgraf
GreenMark Public Relations
847-970-9160, office
847-917-9654, cell
[email protected]
For Immediate Release
Chicago Realtor Says State-of-the-Art, High-Performance Homes
Are Backed by Energy Savings Guarantee
Green Armitage in Logan Square Far Exceeds Energy Star Standard
CHICAGO (April 1, 2008) – Long before going green became culturally stylish,
Celeste Karan, G.R.I., a Chicagoland authority on green and energy-efficient homes with
Keller Williams International, has been helping building professionals understand the market
need for energy efficient homes while educating buyers about what truly constitutes a “green
building.”
Most recently, Karan and a team of professionals dedicated to raising the bar on what
it means to be “green” in Chicago have partnered to create Green Armitage – the city’s first
high-performance, multi-unit residential “green” building.
“We believe so much in the project we’re backing it with a guarantee: Homeowners’
energy bills will not exceed $600 per year for the first two years with reasonable use,” Karan
says.
Located at 3018 W. Armitage Ave. in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, current
computer modeling has shown that the eight-unit, state-of-the-art property, currently under
construction, will exceed the EPA’s Residential Energy Star standard by more than 90
percent. The project is registered under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, with the goal of achieving a
platinum rating. It qualifies for the highest rating of 3 Stars under the new Chicago Green
Homes certification.
The three-bedroom, two-bath units, with prices beginning at $399,900, offer open
floor plans, well-designed spaces, ample private outdoor space, attached garage parking
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and elevator convenience. Finishes include luminescent glass tiles, hardwood floors
throughout, Kohler plumbing fixtures and a master bathroom with separate bath and multispray (upgrade option) shower.
The modern, energy-efficient appliance package features a dual-fuel double oven
range (gas cook top with electric ovens), French-door bottom freezer refrigerator, over therange microwave, Bosch laundry machines and standard under-the-counter or drawer
(upgrade option) dishwasher. Each home also offers the latest in communications wiring,
natural light and ventilation for health and comfort, and lovely city views from upper floors.
Environmental Performance to Reduce Carbon Footprint
Green Armitage incorporates the following features to achieve maximum energy
efficiency and reduce the building’s overall carbon footprint:
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Revolutionary ELFI wall system offers super-efficient insulation. ELFI exterior walls
perform at R-40 and roofing panels at R-60 thermo-insulation values (Chicago code
requires only R-13). High-efficiency HVAC and tankless water heaters create a high
level of comfort with less energy.
Low- or no-VOC paints, finishes and sealants, as well as formaldehyde-free custom
cabinets, help prevent indoor air pollution.
High percentage of recycled and recyclable building materials, including:
o post-consumer recycled drywall
o light steel frame containing up to 60 percent post-consumer recycled material
o kitchen and bath tiles containing 55 to 100 percent post-consumer and/or postindustrial recycled glass
o ELFI walls and roofing panels manufactured entirely from man-made
materials containing recycled content. Waste is fully recycled during the
manufacturing process and the product is entirely recyclable at the end of the
building's life cycle
o Optional Paperstone countertops that look like natural stone but contain at
least 50 percent post-consumer recycled paper
Efficient plumbing fixtures, including dual-flush toilets, use significantly less water
than conventional fixtures.
Storm water runs to ground where it percolates down into the porous soil instead of
Chicago's overwhelmed storm sewers.
Most materials are produced within 500 miles of the building site, supporting local
regional economy and cutting use of fossil fuels for shipping.
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Meet the Green Armitage Team
In addition to Karan, the project’s green building pioneers include Paul Sanders, The
Sanders Company, and George Sullivan, principal and CEO of Eco Smart Building.
Sanders, a long-time environmentalist who founded The Sanders Company in 1985,
has long incorporated high-quality touches in his buildings, including soy-foam insulation
and energy-efficient windows, to make large differences in occupant comfort and energy use.
A resident of Logan Square, Sanders built one of the first condo developments in the
neighborhood and has continued with a series of rehabs and new construction that combine
style with eco-friendly design. He strives to create better, greener buildings for homeowners
who care about energy bills, the health and comfort level of their homes and their impact on
the environment.
Through the Web site at www.greenhomechicago.com, Karan shares her observations
regarding the market for green building as well as information about energy-efficient design
and green building methods, which give builders a market edge, provide lower energy bills
for the owner, create a more comfortable and healthy home, and conserve natural resources.
She is familiar with energy efficient mortgage products, tax credits and all the major U.S.
certification programs for green buildings.
Eco Smart Building is a design/build consulting practice that specializes in building
programming, development and construction. The company’s project portfolio covers land
planning and use, commercial office, retail, educational, mixed use, low- and mid-rise
development, and redevelopment of existing built infrastructure assets. Eco Smart has been
responsible for more than 480 project units that have achieved energy conservation targets of
75 percent better than Energy Star, reducing operating costs and increasing construction
quality, occupant comfort and indoor air quality, as well as reducing the project’s
environmental footprint. In the current real estate market, these projects are considered “dark
green,” with substantially higher rates of pre-leasing along with longer term leases and higher
presales than conventional projects.
For more information about Green Armitage, call Celeste Karan at 773-883-5709 or
visit www.greenhomechicago.com or www.greenarmitage.info.
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Editors, please note: Photo renderings available on request.