Green Home: A Wilmette Family’s Eco-Chic House

 

Scott and Sharon Krone’s new home at the corner of 7th and Lake in Wilmette almost looks like your traditional North Shore masonry home.

But solar panels perched on the aluminum roof, a tomato-red horizontal stripe wrapping the white exterior and ground-level, floor-to-ceiling windows hint that the Krones live a more vibrant shade of green than most of their neighbors.

This eco-friendly home is an enchanting example of green construction. Because Scott is an architect and one of the founders of  Coda, which specializes in sustainable construction and re-construction, it’s no surprise that his new family home is a perfect co-mingling of sustainability, style and comfort.

{loadposition incontent_athome} The bamboo floors throughout have all the durability of a hardwood, but because bamboo grows exponentially faster (five years of bamboo growth equals 100 years for oak, maple or ash), it is much more sustainable.

Green Home: A Wilmette Family's Eco-Chic Kitchen

The flue-free fireplace separating the living and dining rooms burns denatured ethanol instead of wood, which sounds odd, but looks sophisticated. Better yet, no flue means no heat loss up the chimney. It’s not only clean and green, it’s stylish, too.

Green Home: Fireplace

Other green elements include high-efficiency appliances, dual-flush toilets, exposed ducts and a programmable thermostat.

The most interesting green component, though, isn’t visible: the geothermal heating and cooling system, which draws on the constant temperature of the earth through a series of wells dug far below the home’s foundation. Of course, the home is well insulated, with every nook and cranny filled with spray foam insulation.

A green home is better for the environment and the residents. It is energy efficient, made from sustainable, renewable and eco-friendly products. It is a healthy space, with lots of fresh air and natural light and reduced exposure to mold, mildew and toxins.

The Krones choose to emphasize the modern elements of their home by incorporating contemporary design principles. This also honors Scott’s Danish heritage. But a green home does not have to look modern. It just needs to incorporate green elements, so that it uses less energy, water and natural resources; creates less waste; and is a healthier place to live.

To learn more about Coda, visit their  Web site.

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