Grays Lake, Illinois
Sited on the north bank of a lake in northern Illinois, the Energy
Efficient House began as a single-family home for a young couple
who anticipated raising a family. Eifler & Associates designed
a home which was efficient and inexpensive to build, yet took full
advantage of the southern exposure for solar heating and views to
the lake. The home was to built utilizing panelized housing construction,
wherein the walls, floors a roof framing were to be built as large
panels assembled in a factory and delivered to the jobsite. The
panels were then to be hoisted in place by crane, and joined together
with fasteners by the general contractor, thereby saving 20% in
rough framing costs and 40% savings in construction waste. Each
room was situated as to enjoy the lakeside views and be partially
heated by the southern exposure. West and East-facing windows were
minimized, and northern-facing windows were made operable to allow
air circulation and reduce the need for air-conditioning. Supplemental
heating and cooling was to be provided by a forced-air mechanical
system which utilized a geothermal piping set into the bottom of
the lake. The house represents a reasonably-priced solution to the
energy-efficient house problem. Preliminary estimates indicate that
2300 s.f. house could be built for less than $350,000.
