In 2005, the EPA reported that commercial and residential buildings accounted for 38.9% of our country’s total energy consumption. A year later, they reported that buildings accounted for 72% of all the electricity being used in the United States. And that number is currently rising. It is now, as the average single-family home spends upwards of two-thousand dollars a year on energy bills, that the need for sustainable building is at its highest. The good news? Chicago is leading the country in LEEDcertified building space. But what is LEED, anyway? Continue reading 'What is LEED, anyway?'»
Consumers and residents wishing to eat more consciously face a number of difficult questions. Where does my food come from? How far has it traveled? Is it sustainable? And what if I decide to eat out? In this two-part series we highlight some of the bountiful, greener choices that Chicago residents can increasingly make and also draw attention to some great eco-conscious food havens that we’ve been excited to play a role in developing. Article one focuses on eating out in Chicago while article two considers better options for dining in. Continue reading 'Eating Your Greens: Eco-Conscious Eating in Chicago'»
Own an Existing Home? REGREEN It!
As eco-architects, we work to make new homes and buildings as green as possible, but this is Chicagoland, where we have tens of thousands of existing buildings. This means we also spend much of our time helping to renovate and reformulate existing spaces, which is in itself inherently a green approach. (It takes 8,000 gallons of oil to make one new home, so reuse is definitely a good plan.)
Existing buildings offer exciting challenges, and often times they do not require a full ‘gut rehab’ to be useful again. This has left some clients frustrated that their highly sustainable renovation project doesn’t qualify for programs such as LEED.
Enter REGREEN to save the day! Continue reading 'REGREEN Certification'»
Voting with your wallet, speaking with your pocketbook, putting your money where your mouth is… These well-worn phrases and many others underscore a simple truth: decisions about what we do with our money are one of the loudest and strongest ways we can express – and stand behind – what we believe in. That’s why when our green-minded architects here at 2 Point Perspective were presented with an opportunity to design the new flagship location of GreenChoice Bank, we couldn’t wait to dive in!
The new branch is located in the Green Exchange, Chicago’s new-fangled hub for up-and-coming green businesses, Continue reading 'Green Bank / Green Digs!: GreenChoice Bank’s New LEED Platinum Headquarters'»
There is plenty of buzz about solar panels, but making sense of the facts can still be a challenge.
Here is a high-level overview that we hope will inspire you to investigate solar further (or at least rent a good Spaghetti Western) in the near future.
The Good:
Many people are recognizing that in this volatile financial market, a solar panel system can be a good investment. (My financial advisor even has them!) The ‘payback’ time of solar panel systems can vary based on the incentives, but 5-8 years is a common range.
After that, all of your costs are re-couped, and of course you continue to get free energy, and most panels these days come with a 25 year warranty! With conventional energy prices going nowhere but up, this becomes even more appealing.
In addition, I learned recently of a study* that looked at home sales from 2001- 2009. Homes with solar panels sold for an average of $17,000 more than their conventional counterparts. In many cases, after incentives, the premium Continue reading 'Solar Panels: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly'»
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