Three Oak Park owners not too long ago opened their houses to share sustainability measures which might be making a distinction of their lives and in the best way they devour vitality.
The second of Oak Park Local weather Motion Community (OPCAN)’s spring open homes on April 6 featured OPCAN volunteers in addition to business specialists, detailing what has been completed in these houses – and the way others would possibly take steps to enhance their vitality effectivity.
Wendy Greenhouse, the organizer of the stroll, mentioned that this academic part is likely one of the advantages of OPCAN that she likes to tout. “Our Local weather Coaches can reply questions or inform you what it’s like to put in or use a product. They’ll provide actual life expertise from a neighbor,” she mentioned.
On Gunderson Avenue, home-owner Macey Majkrzak shared her dwelling’s inexperienced enhancements. She and her husband, Lee, bought their dwelling in 2021 with an eye fixed in direction of a sustainable renovation. The 1910, American 4-Sq. stucco house is completed on 4 ranges and is now fully electrical.
“We had been in search of a mission,” she mentioned. “I had began doing sustainability work. Each my husband and I had been motivated.”
Their home wanted a brand new HVAC system, in order that they determined to dig out their basement and add a geothermal heating and cooling system with Superior Geothermal Plumbing and Heating. The home is now heated and cooled with a geothermal system.
Within the basement mechanical room, the geothermal system, in addition to the water-to-water unit that fuels the radiant-heated flooring within the basement, retains the temperature stage and comfy year-round. Majkrzak mentioned that the household doesn’t even want an account with Nicor anymore.
Mark Villareal with Ailey Photo voltaic spoke about issues in placing photo voltaic panels on older houses. Ailey Photo voltaic usually offers a technical evaluate for purchasers, throughout which they think about whether or not the rafters of the home should be bolstered to help the photo voltaic panels and whether or not the electrical system can deal with the load. Villareal mentioned that the 200-amp service is good for photo voltaic installations.
Within the kitchen, a volunteer confirmed off the household’s induction range high. Close by, Joe Konopacki, president and CEO of Perception Property Companies, demonstrated the blow check carried out on the house’s doorways to check the constructing’s airtightness.
Blow assessments are important to addressing precise sources of leaks in a house with a purpose to goal insulating the place it is going to take advantage of enchancment.
Village Trustee Susan Buchanan was one in every of OPCAN’s many volunteers on the Majkrzak dwelling. Her personal curiosity in sustainability drew her to OPCAN. “Everyone seems to be on their very own path to sustainability,” she mentioned. “Everyone seems to be studying what they’ll do of their houses.”
At a 1927-era brick home on Linden Avenue, a warmth pump system changed a conventional forced-air furnace system. OPCAN volunteer and Oak Park resident Mac Robinet famous that warmth pump methods are two to 3 instances extra environment friendly than gas-powered furnaces.
Robinet is passionate in regards to the want for sustainability. “Over time, we’re not going to have a alternative,” he predicted. “Individuals in Oak Park shouldn’t be shopping for new gasoline furnaces. That’s going backwards.”
He practices what he preaches. Robinet has had a ground-source warmth pump since 2011 and mentioned that it has paid for itself many instances over.
Matt Nickels, one of many founders of Oak Park’s Vitality Issues, was readily available to debate warmth pump insulation. Matt and his brother, each OPRF and Purdue grads, began their enterprise 11 years in the past.
Collectively, the brothers work on vitality effectivity and heating and cooling options for native clients. “It’s a enjoyable problem for me as an engineer,” Nickels mentioned.
Most tasks are distinctive given the older housing inventory within the space, and Nickels mentioned Vitality Issues can act as local weather coaches to stroll by means of houses and multi-unit buildings to offer assessments and advocate particular person options.
The third dwelling on the stroll was the recipient of a Inexperienced Award from the Village of Oak Park. House owner Derek Eder totally electrified his 1916 brick bungalow with rooftop photo voltaic, warmth pump HVAC and scorching water heater and electrical home equipment. The method is detailed in a video produced by the Village: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NmpOUFS590.
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