The Greening of North Chicago
Everyone wins with this green home
Just thirty-three miles north of Chicago is North Chicago, a centennial city of 35,000 that’s ideally situated for growth on the shores of Lake Michigan. Home to Great Lakes Naval Training Station, the V.A. Hospital, Abbott Laboratories, Jelly Belly Candy Company and Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago has another asset-its community spirit. While North Chicago is struggling with high unemployment and foreclosures, today its sleeves are rolled up for the City’s first affordable green home.
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| (Left to right): Jon Hirsch, Chief Operating Officer of Krugel Cobbles, Inc., and YouthBuild Lake County board member and chair of its Green Building Team; Laurel Tustison, Executive Director of YouthBuild Lake County; Doug Williams, Round Lake Schools board member and a YouthBuild Lake County board member; Mary Ross Cunningham, 9th district Lake County Board of Commissioners; North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham; Audrey Nixon, 14th district Lake County Board of Commissioners; Diane Hewett, 2nd District Lake County Board of Commissioners, and Torrance Abrams, Sr., North Chicago 5th Ward Alderman (the green home will be built in his Ward). |
YouthBuild Lake County (YBLC) is bringing the first affordable energy-efficient green home to North Chicago. YBLC is a non-profit organization that helps at-risk low-income youth complete a GED and acquire job skills by building low-income housing in Lake County. YBLC trainees have already built three single-family homes, and will soon break ground on the first of four new energy-efficient homes planned for the city. YBLC plans to build four more green homes in North Chicago over the next few years and potentially in other parts of Lake County also.
“We’ve been working on ‘going green’ for the last nine months,” admits YBLC Executive Director, Laurel Tustison, a guiding force in YBLC since taking over from its founder, Sadiqa Queen, in 2005. “This first green home has special significance. Not only will a low income family benefit from a new home, they’ll save 30% in energy costs that can be used for other family needs. And, YBLC will be training low income youth from the community on sustainable construction techniques. We’re thrilled to build the first (green) home of its kind in North Chicago.”
The homes built by YBLC trainees are possible thanks to government grants, private donations, and the committed participation of local businesses, elected officials, and volunteers. The YBLC Community and Construction Coalitions, made up of community and business partners, have successfully built relationships with other local non-profit organizations as well as construction-related businesses that are happy to share their knowledge, time and materials with trainees.
Timing is perfect:
“Timing couldn’t be better for the green home project,” says Terry Lenz, Program Director for YBLC who also serves as construction manager on the group’s home building projects. “The increased focus from the White House on renewable energy and reduced energy costs made special “green grants” available to CHDOs (CHDO - pronounced ch_’d_ - is a non-profit community housing development organization whose purpose is to develop affordable community housing) for building energy-efficient housing for low income families.”
In 2008, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced competition for $1 million in federal grant money for qualifying CHDOs as part of the federal stimulus. With the help of YBLC and Habitat for Humanity, the Lake County Planning and Development Dept. joined the competition for funding. As a result, Lake County received $250,000 for green home projects submitted by both YouthBuild Lake County and Habitat for Humanity Lake County. All green housing projects will be required to meet a list of energy efficiency and Energy Star® building requirements.
Enter the Green Team:
With funding secured, Construction Coalition members networked with a host of companies to form a Green Building Team for YBLC. The first meeting was standing room only-proving companies are hungry for involvement in sustainable development.
“We got calls from manufacturers all over the country wanting to know how they could participate,” says Lenz. “What impressed me the most about everyone involved is that they were more interested in helping educate and train on green building techniques and less concerned about selling their own products and services.”
The next hurdle was training for the YBLC staff on green construction techniques. Again, timing was perfect. The College of Lake County (CLC) was about to test its new green building curriculum. So Lenz was the first YBLC staff member to experience the pilot program.
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| YouthBuild Lake County trainees and staff at the May groundbreaking ceremony in North Chicago. |
Taught by HVAC Master, Scott Allen, the group learned about solar power, photovoltaics, the latest insulation processes, and energy-efficient windows and doors. They covered green foundations, heat pumps and exchangers, geothermal heating, air exchangers and wind turbines. “We were blown away by the amount of ground we covered in class. Scott did a ton of research and took us on field trips to see the technology in action. It was absolutely incredible,” says Lenz
Green from the ground up:
The first green home will be built on a lot at 2108 Wallace Avenue donated by the City of North Chicago. Its basement walls will be made of ICFs-insulated concrete forms-that encapsulate concrete between layers of foam insulation to seal the house from heat loss. Exterior walls above ground will be raised using structurally insulated panels or SIPs, an increasingly popular choice with the rising cost of heating fuel. Interior walls will be traditionally stick built.
Once the roof is on and energy-efficient windows and doors are in place, outside contractors will go to work installing a high-efficiency furnace, an on-demand water heater, a controllable air exchanger and electrical circuitry. Light switches will operate on sensors. Appliances and ceiling fans will be Energy Star® rated. And students will get an opportunity to learn first hand about blown-in insulation.
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| (L to R): Bob Mathews, District Branch Services Manager, Grainger and Scott Bivens, Branch Manager, Grainger; YouthBuild Lake County Executive Director Laurel Tustison, and Jon Hirsch, Chief Operating Officer, Krugel Cobbles, Inc. |
Contractors for all outsourced work on the Wallace Ave. home were chosen in a bidding process based on their use of new technology, their products and their willingness to provide on-site training to YBLC trainees. Outside services include excavation, electrical, plumbing and HVAC. In addition, over twenty companies are donating funds as well as in-kind architectural drawings, building materials and expertise to help trainees build their job skills as they build their homes.
YBLC trainees will construct the foundation and walls, lay hardwood floors, hang cabinets and doors, install counters and sinks, put up drywall, and paint. They’ll also lay exterior brick and brick sidewalks. All paints and glues will be environmentally friendly low-VOC.
A mutual benefit alliance:
The deep commitment of YBLC and local business and community leaders to the project is creating a very rewarding personal experience for everyone involved, and adds momentum to the winds of change in North Chicago.
“I’m extremely proud to help support the work of YouthBuild Lake County to build North Chicago’s first green home,” says North Chicago Mayor, Leon Rockingham. “Thanks to YouthBuild’s successful training program and the support of forward thinking local businesses, we have seen many young men and women go on to a better life after graduating from the YouthBuild Lake County program. Every time that happens, the community becomes stronger."
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| A 3-dimensional drawing of the green home that will be built on Wallace Avenue |
Looking at the growing list of people and organizations that have signed on, it’s virtually impossible to find one that isn’t going to benefit from participating in the Green Home Construction Project.
There are many winners with this scenario. North Chicago wins. Lake County wins. Illinois wins. Planet Earth wins. YBLC trainees acquire green construction skills. YBLC goes green. Companies get to give-back to the community and enhance their green building portfolios. The College of Lake County validates its new green curriculum. Elected officials build stronger alliances with their constituents for future community improvement. An empty lot is reclaimed for housing. And a family will enjoy a new home with 30% lower fuel bills.
For further information, please visit www.youthbuildlakecounty.org
