Airhart
03-19-2008
J.E. Kuyper writes: "Buyers of new construction are looking for ways to conserve the planet's resources, including those used for heating and cooling inside single or multi-family homes."
> "Airhart Construction of West Chicago has two models classified as "Green" homes at the company's Fox Run community in Geneva..."
The article reviews the standards for being a green builder or a green certified home and points out, "Airhart Construction has gone green. All homes it builds will meet the National Association of Home Builder's Model Green Home Building Guidelines."
Click here for the full article. [ Read More... ]
> "Airhart Construction of West Chicago has two models classified as "Green" homes at the company's Fox Run community in Geneva..."
The article reviews the standards for being a green builder or a green certified home and points out, "Airhart Construction has gone green. All homes it builds will meet the National Association of Home Builder's Model Green Home Building Guidelines."
Click here for the full article. [ Read More... ]
Local Builders Embrace Green Standards
01-30-2008
As Seen In The Daily Herald:
Click Here to view full story.
Airhart Construction has announced every home it builds will meet the Green Home Building Guidelines set by the National Association of Home Builders.
[ Read More... ]
Click Here to view full story.
Airhart Construction has announced every home it builds will meet the Green Home Building Guidelines set by the National Association of Home Builders.
[ Read More... ]
Airhart Announces Elevators
11-15-2007
Demand for elevator option going up at Airhart Construction communities.
The way Airhart Construction sees it, more buyers are eager to hit the convenience button and ride their way to the top in luxury—courtesy of a private elevator.
Catering to greater demand from buyers, the West Chicago builder recently decided to add personal elevators as an amenity at two of its Wheaton townhome communities: Mackenzie Place, where an elevator is available as an option in six of the 36 total residences, and Courthouse Square, where an elevator will be a standard inclusion in all 50 townhomes to be built.
Why the sudden focus from Airhart on the people-moving vertical perk? Because private elevators have undergone a paradigm shift in terms of perception, practical appeal and affordability in recent years—especially among Baby Boomers, the market segment that’s primarily behind the elevator push, said Court Airhart, president of Airhart Construction.
“Having your own in-home elevator used to be thought of as an expensive extravagance. However, that is an old stereotype that no longer applies. Today, a wide variety of buyers of mutli-level homes value the practical convenience and long-term usefulness of a personal elevator,” Airhart said.
While a private elevator is a must for wheelchair-bound homeowners who couldn’t easily access their townhome’s two to four levels otherwise, even younger buyers who have no problem climbing stairs are taking a closer look at the elevator option, Airhart noted.
“A private elevator is viewed today as an appreciated luxury item that meets a variety of needs” he said. “It’s looked upon as a nice insurance policy for the future, when you may have a harder time walking up the stairs, for example. In addition, it provides great service for the simplest tasks, such as moving your suitcases from the basement to the bedroom before a trip. And even for those buyers who don’t plan to remain in their home for the long haul, having a personal elevator is a coveted feature that could pay off handsomely when it comes time to sell your residence by expanding the purchaser base for your home.”
Offering elevators in his firm’s townhomes was the common-sense solution that expanded possibilities for shoppers, said Airhart.
“We provide three levels of living space at Mackenzie Place and four levels at Courthouse Square, so it just made good sense to offer this handy feature to increase accessibility at these Wheaton locations,” he said. “While it’s true that some of the floorplans at Mackenzie Place include first-floor master bedrooms, making stair-climbing less of an issue, having that elevator makes your residence that much more flexible—particularly when you’re hosting overnight guests or you have an older loved one living with you. Your in-laws or less-mobile relative, for example, can now stay in the upper-floor bedroom without you having to worry about them getting up and down the stairs. In fact, we have an option at Courthouse Square for a private in-law suite with a kitchenette that’s ideal for a boomerang parent on the upper level.”
Plus, said Airhart, adding an elevator to a home often allows the builder to design a more user-friendly layout. Case in point: Keeping the master bedroom upstairs—which is now easily reached via the elevator—enables the builder to utilize the main level’s square footage more creatively, providing extra space for a breakfast room and a study in the Kincaid model at Mackenzie Place, for example.
“Ultimately, a personal elevator is the multiple-level home’s great equalizer in that it makes every floor accessible. It allows residents to enjoy the equivalent of ranch-style living without the added construction, roofing and heating/cooling expenses associated with a true ranch home,” said Airhart.”
The elevators Airhart Construction installs are hydraulic drive system models built by Roanoke, Ill.-based National Wheel-O-Vator that measure 3’ (W) x 7’3” (H) x 4’ (D) and bear a load capacity of 750 lbs—enough to carry three adults. They’re a $30,000 option in select units at Mackenzie Place and come standard in every Courthouse Square townhome.
“We’re seeing more private residence elevators being included as a standard feature in both single-family residences and townhomes in the last few years,” said John O’Brien, sales representative for DME Access, the Montgomery, Ill.-headquartered exclusive dealer rep for National Wheel-O-Vator. “Typically, they’re being offered in new Chicago area residences starting at around $350,000 and up. It’s not just for the ultra high-end market any more.”
Thanks to improved technology and manufacturing techniques, prices for private elevators are relatively more affordable than decades ago, said O’Brien.
Airhart added that installing a private elevator in a new construction is home is much less expensive than attempting to retrofit an existing abode with one, due in no small part to the economies of scale enjoyed by builders.
Airhart is excited about the promise and potential elevators hold for his business and his customers. He anticipates Airhart Construction being able to offer private elevators in all future single-family and townhome communities—either as an option or a standard inclusion.
“Based on the market research we’ve done and the strong interest from potential buyers, personal elevators are going to become even more popular in the coming years. Which means that if a builder is smart, they’ll find a way to make it part of their repertoire at the communities they’re building,” Airhart said.
More than one third of the English Country-style, full masonry townhomes have been sold at Mackenzie Place, located one block south of Geneva Road and President Street in north Wheaton, where first deliveries are now underway.
Mackenzie Place buyers can select from three different townhome floor plans, each showcasing three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a full basement, deluxe kitchen with custom cabinets and granite countertops, nine-foot first-floor ceilings, hardwood floors, two-car attached garage, spacious walk-in closets, large breakfast areas and dens (per plan), and 2,603 to 2,715 square feet. Two of the three designs include a first-floor master bedroom suite. Base prices range from $579,000 to $615,000 (all prices subject to change without notice).
Buyers eager to move in quickly can choose from several inventory townhomes now ready for immediate occupancy, including elevator-equipped Kincaid on lot # 9, priced at $_________________. The Kincaid’s great room has a vaulted ceiling with a masonry fireplace flanked by tall windows. The custom kitchen features granite countertops, oil rubbed bronze hardware and stainless steel appliances. Oak flooring throughout the foyer, powder room, great room, kitchen, and breakfast room enhance the open plan.
Mackenzie Place is conveniently located nearby I-355, I-88, and the College Avenue Wheaton Metra station, which commuters can use to reach downtown Chicago in 45 minutes. Other area amenities include Arrowhead or Klein Creek Golf Clubs, Herrick Lake Forest Preserve, Wheaton Public Library, Wheaton College, and downtown Wheaton and Glen Ellyn.
Meanwhile, Airhart Construction recently began sales on its first two phases of 50 semi-custom, Georgetown-style townhomes at Courthouse Square — site of the historic DuPage County Courthouse campus in Wheaton — where Focus Development, Inc. is also selling 188 luxury condominiums.
Available in eight distinctive designs, each townhome will include two to four bedrooms, two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half baths, and a two-car garage. The townhomes will be constructed around elevated landscaped central courtyards incorporating brick paving, wood trellises, and generous patio areas with completely enclosed parking. The townhomes range in price from the low $600,000s to $875,000. First move-ins for the townhomes are expected in fall 2007.
Courthouse Square residents will enjoy heated underground parking as well as outdoor guest parking areas, bountiful green and open space (comprising over 55 percent of the entire property), and an attractive retention pond. Additionally, the existing States Attorney’s Office Building, built in 1938, is undergoing an exterior restoration and an interior renovation to accommodate office space and community-shared amenities such as a fitness center, hospitality suite, kitchen, and a swimming pool with an expansive terrace. The community is conveniently accessible to Roosevelt Road, I-355, I-88, and the downtown Wheaton Metra station — which whisks commuters to downtown Chicago in 45 minutes. Other area attractions are Arrowhead Golf Club, Herrick Lake Forest Preserve, Wheaton Waterpark and shopping at Danada Square and Oakbrook Center mall.
Sales for Courthouse Square are currently being conducted by private appointment only. To add your name to the waiting list, call (630) 845-1200 or visit www.courthousesquarewheaton.com for more information.
Sales for Mackenzie Place are being conducted at Fox Run in Geneva, located on the east side of Rt. 25 just three blocks south of Rt. 38 (Roosevelt Road). Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, Tuesdays by appointment and Sundays noon to 5 p.m. For more information, call Christy Whelan at (630) 845-1200 or visit www.airhartconstruction.com.
Over the last five decades, Airhart Construction has garnered a solid reputation for service and integrity while building homes of unsurpassed excellence. The family-owned-and-operated business has grown from a small niche builder to one that crafts more than 50 luxury homes a year. Airhart is currently offering semi-custom single-family homes at Woodland Oaks in unincorporated Wheaton, Prince Crossing Farm in West Chicago, Walnut Court in Woodridge, River’s Edge in St. Charles, and Fox Run in Geneva,. For more information on any of these communities, call Christy Whelan at (630) 845-1200 or visit www.airhartconstruction.com.
[ Read More... ]
The way Airhart Construction sees it, more buyers are eager to hit the convenience button and ride their way to the top in luxury—courtesy of a private elevator.
Catering to greater demand from buyers, the West Chicago builder recently decided to add personal elevators as an amenity at two of its Wheaton townhome communities: Mackenzie Place, where an elevator is available as an option in six of the 36 total residences, and Courthouse Square, where an elevator will be a standard inclusion in all 50 townhomes to be built.
Why the sudden focus from Airhart on the people-moving vertical perk? Because private elevators have undergone a paradigm shift in terms of perception, practical appeal and affordability in recent years—especially among Baby Boomers, the market segment that’s primarily behind the elevator push, said Court Airhart, president of Airhart Construction.
“Having your own in-home elevator used to be thought of as an expensive extravagance. However, that is an old stereotype that no longer applies. Today, a wide variety of buyers of mutli-level homes value the practical convenience and long-term usefulness of a personal elevator,” Airhart said.
While a private elevator is a must for wheelchair-bound homeowners who couldn’t easily access their townhome’s two to four levels otherwise, even younger buyers who have no problem climbing stairs are taking a closer look at the elevator option, Airhart noted.
“A private elevator is viewed today as an appreciated luxury item that meets a variety of needs” he said. “It’s looked upon as a nice insurance policy for the future, when you may have a harder time walking up the stairs, for example. In addition, it provides great service for the simplest tasks, such as moving your suitcases from the basement to the bedroom before a trip. And even for those buyers who don’t plan to remain in their home for the long haul, having a personal elevator is a coveted feature that could pay off handsomely when it comes time to sell your residence by expanding the purchaser base for your home.”
Offering elevators in his firm’s townhomes was the common-sense solution that expanded possibilities for shoppers, said Airhart.
“We provide three levels of living space at Mackenzie Place and four levels at Courthouse Square, so it just made good sense to offer this handy feature to increase accessibility at these Wheaton locations,” he said. “While it’s true that some of the floorplans at Mackenzie Place include first-floor master bedrooms, making stair-climbing less of an issue, having that elevator makes your residence that much more flexible—particularly when you’re hosting overnight guests or you have an older loved one living with you. Your in-laws or less-mobile relative, for example, can now stay in the upper-floor bedroom without you having to worry about them getting up and down the stairs. In fact, we have an option at Courthouse Square for a private in-law suite with a kitchenette that’s ideal for a boomerang parent on the upper level.”
Plus, said Airhart, adding an elevator to a home often allows the builder to design a more user-friendly layout. Case in point: Keeping the master bedroom upstairs—which is now easily reached via the elevator—enables the builder to utilize the main level’s square footage more creatively, providing extra space for a breakfast room and a study in the Kincaid model at Mackenzie Place, for example.
“Ultimately, a personal elevator is the multiple-level home’s great equalizer in that it makes every floor accessible. It allows residents to enjoy the equivalent of ranch-style living without the added construction, roofing and heating/cooling expenses associated with a true ranch home,” said Airhart.”
The elevators Airhart Construction installs are hydraulic drive system models built by Roanoke, Ill.-based National Wheel-O-Vator that measure 3’ (W) x 7’3” (H) x 4’ (D) and bear a load capacity of 750 lbs—enough to carry three adults. They’re a $30,000 option in select units at Mackenzie Place and come standard in every Courthouse Square townhome.
“We’re seeing more private residence elevators being included as a standard feature in both single-family residences and townhomes in the last few years,” said John O’Brien, sales representative for DME Access, the Montgomery, Ill.-headquartered exclusive dealer rep for National Wheel-O-Vator. “Typically, they’re being offered in new Chicago area residences starting at around $350,000 and up. It’s not just for the ultra high-end market any more.”
Thanks to improved technology and manufacturing techniques, prices for private elevators are relatively more affordable than decades ago, said O’Brien.
Airhart added that installing a private elevator in a new construction is home is much less expensive than attempting to retrofit an existing abode with one, due in no small part to the economies of scale enjoyed by builders.
Airhart is excited about the promise and potential elevators hold for his business and his customers. He anticipates Airhart Construction being able to offer private elevators in all future single-family and townhome communities—either as an option or a standard inclusion.
“Based on the market research we’ve done and the strong interest from potential buyers, personal elevators are going to become even more popular in the coming years. Which means that if a builder is smart, they’ll find a way to make it part of their repertoire at the communities they’re building,” Airhart said.
More than one third of the English Country-style, full masonry townhomes have been sold at Mackenzie Place, located one block south of Geneva Road and President Street in north Wheaton, where first deliveries are now underway.
Mackenzie Place buyers can select from three different townhome floor plans, each showcasing three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a full basement, deluxe kitchen with custom cabinets and granite countertops, nine-foot first-floor ceilings, hardwood floors, two-car attached garage, spacious walk-in closets, large breakfast areas and dens (per plan), and 2,603 to 2,715 square feet. Two of the three designs include a first-floor master bedroom suite. Base prices range from $579,000 to $615,000 (all prices subject to change without notice).
Buyers eager to move in quickly can choose from several inventory townhomes now ready for immediate occupancy, including elevator-equipped Kincaid on lot # 9, priced at $_________________. The Kincaid’s great room has a vaulted ceiling with a masonry fireplace flanked by tall windows. The custom kitchen features granite countertops, oil rubbed bronze hardware and stainless steel appliances. Oak flooring throughout the foyer, powder room, great room, kitchen, and breakfast room enhance the open plan.
Mackenzie Place is conveniently located nearby I-355, I-88, and the College Avenue Wheaton Metra station, which commuters can use to reach downtown Chicago in 45 minutes. Other area amenities include Arrowhead or Klein Creek Golf Clubs, Herrick Lake Forest Preserve, Wheaton Public Library, Wheaton College, and downtown Wheaton and Glen Ellyn.
Meanwhile, Airhart Construction recently began sales on its first two phases of 50 semi-custom, Georgetown-style townhomes at Courthouse Square — site of the historic DuPage County Courthouse campus in Wheaton — where Focus Development, Inc. is also selling 188 luxury condominiums.
Available in eight distinctive designs, each townhome will include two to four bedrooms, two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half baths, and a two-car garage. The townhomes will be constructed around elevated landscaped central courtyards incorporating brick paving, wood trellises, and generous patio areas with completely enclosed parking. The townhomes range in price from the low $600,000s to $875,000. First move-ins for the townhomes are expected in fall 2007.
Courthouse Square residents will enjoy heated underground parking as well as outdoor guest parking areas, bountiful green and open space (comprising over 55 percent of the entire property), and an attractive retention pond. Additionally, the existing States Attorney’s Office Building, built in 1938, is undergoing an exterior restoration and an interior renovation to accommodate office space and community-shared amenities such as a fitness center, hospitality suite, kitchen, and a swimming pool with an expansive terrace. The community is conveniently accessible to Roosevelt Road, I-355, I-88, and the downtown Wheaton Metra station — which whisks commuters to downtown Chicago in 45 minutes. Other area attractions are Arrowhead Golf Club, Herrick Lake Forest Preserve, Wheaton Waterpark and shopping at Danada Square and Oakbrook Center mall.
Sales for Courthouse Square are currently being conducted by private appointment only. To add your name to the waiting list, call (630) 845-1200 or visit www.courthousesquarewheaton.com for more information.
Sales for Mackenzie Place are being conducted at Fox Run in Geneva, located on the east side of Rt. 25 just three blocks south of Rt. 38 (Roosevelt Road). Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, Tuesdays by appointment and Sundays noon to 5 p.m. For more information, call Christy Whelan at (630) 845-1200 or visit www.airhartconstruction.com.
Over the last five decades, Airhart Construction has garnered a solid reputation for service and integrity while building homes of unsurpassed excellence. The family-owned-and-operated business has grown from a small niche builder to one that crafts more than 50 luxury homes a year. Airhart is currently offering semi-custom single-family homes at Woodland Oaks in unincorporated Wheaton, Prince Crossing Farm in West Chicago, Walnut Court in Woodridge, River’s Edge in St. Charles, and Fox Run in Geneva,. For more information on any of these communities, call Christy Whelan at (630) 845-1200 or visit www.airhartconstruction.com.
[ Read More... ]
Airhart and Green Building
11-15-2007
Airhart Construction to build environmentally friendly homes per NAHB’s Green Guidelines
ENERGY STAR PARTNER BUILDER COMMITTED TO SUSTAINABLE, GREEN BUILDING
For years, Airhart Construction has garnered an impeccable reputation for rewarding its home buyers with more green in the form of greater savings on heating and cooling bills. Now, the energy efficient-minded builder has decided to go even greener by announcing that all homes it builds henceforth will meet the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Model Green Home Building Guidelines.
Introduced in 2005, NAHB’s Model Green Home Building Guidelines provide a benchmark set of standards for the residential building industry to follow. These voluntary guidelines suggest key steps that builders can take on their own to ensure that their homes are environmentally friendly and energy efficient, according to several different criteria—including lot preparation and design, resource and energy efficiency, water conservation and efficiency, and indoor environmental quality and occupancy comfort.
“Every residence we craft going forward is going to be conform to these NAHB guidelines,” said Court Airhart, president of West Chicago-based Airhart Construction. “This assures customers that their finished home will be built according to some of the most rigorous green measures for quality and efficiency available in our industry.”
“We wanted to earn the right to call ourselves a green builder by following a respected, industry-approved criteria in this case, the specifications set forth by a recognized source like the NAHB,” said Airhart.
The NAHB guidelines allow builders to self-certify their homes if they meet a minimum criteria in several different categories. Points are awarded for each provision met, with the minimum point total required set at 237 (indicating a “bronze” level of certification) and a maximum set at 395 (the “gold” level). Currently, Airhart Construction falls between silver and bronze certification with 272 total points.
The good news for buyers is that buying a home from Airhart Construction that is bronze level-certified won’t cost them anything extra—all the green features required to earn the bronze status are included in the base price.
“The significance of Airhart Construction meeting the NAHB guidelines is substantial, and quite commendable,” said Ron Jones, founder/editorial director of Green Builder® Magazine (www.greenbuildermag.com), former chairman of the NAHB’s Green Building Subcommittee, and current chair of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Consensus Committee, which is developing the National Green Building Standard™ based closely on the NAHB’s Model Green Home Building Guidelines. “Airhart is voluntarily building a product that yields a greater level of performance and meets a higher standard than is required. Add to this the fact that Airhart builds more then 40 homes a year and the NAHB compliance at no extra cost to the consumer speaks volumes about the commitment he’s making.”
Jones said that, according to results of a NAHB survey published last June, more than 97,000 homes have been built and certified by voluntary, builder-supported green building programs around the country since the mid-1990s. What’s more, 92 percent of builder respondents to a poll published in his magazine indicated that they are currently constructing green homes according to local or regional guidelines or will be within the next year.
“Within 10 years, green building will become so mainstream and accepted that we won’t even be calling it ‘green’ anymore,” predicted Jones. “Buyers will expect green home amenities as standard features, and builders will be pushed to even higher standards of quality and accountability. I admire the fact that builders like Airhart Construction are taking the initiative now to voluntarily comply with accepted guidelines in place. It can hopefully serve as an inspiration for other home building companies to do the same sooner versus later.”
Airhart’s firm has long been associated with energy-conscious building practices. The company began building homes utilizing passive solar technology more than 30 years ago. And in 2004, the builder was named an “Energy Star® Partner” home builder by Energy Star®, a government/industry partnership formed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. To qualify as an Energy Star® Partner home builder, Airhart Construction had to meet a strict set of energy performance criteria and train its staff to comply with Energy Star® guidelines.
Recently, Airhart Construction reassessed its entire operations to maximize its green building efforts. They created a “green team” who meet several times a year to evaluate the firm’s green practices. Airhart and crew were careful to leave no stone unturned—even going so far as to switch to a new waste management provider that recycles at least 70 percent of Airhart’s job site waste.
“The benefits of our green building efforts to homeowners are numerous,” Airhart said. “For starters, our buyers can expect an annual energy savings of approximately $200 to $400. In addition, they can count on increased comfort—excessive noise, cold and heat are kept out of the home, providing consistent temperatures between and across rooms. Indoor air quality is improved by ensuring that the HVAC system is sized and vented appropriately to bring in fresh air and expel pollutants that are generated. And our use of low-maintenance exteriors designed to stand up to the elements ensures that each home will boast enhanced durability and lower ongoing maintenance costs.”
What’s more, Airhart noted, the company’s green building practices will have a positive ecological impact.
“Green building is all about the efficient use of resources to produce and maintain a healthy, clean and robust environment,” he said. “Green-built homes put less stress on the planet because they’re designed to be energy efficient, which creates less pollution. They conserve natural resources by using renewable and recycled material, and they generate less waste.”
Ultimately, added Airhart, “we recognize that we have a serious responsibility to be good stewards for the environment. We want to set a good example in our industry that we have a duty to conserve our resources, reduce our energy consumption and protect the earth. And we won’t rest on our laurels, either. We’ll continue to scrutinize our products, systems and construction techniques to further improve our homes as time goes on.”
For more information on Airhart Construction’s green building practices or any of its new home communities, call (630) 845-1200 or visit www.airhartconstruction.com.
Over the last five decades, Airhart Construction has garnered a solid reputation for service and integrity while building homes of unsurpassed excellence. The family-owned-and-operated business has grown from a small niche builder to one that crafts more than 40 luxury homes a year. Airhart Construction is an Energy Star Partner® home builder that builds Energy Star® qualified new homes. Airhart is currently offering custom and semi-custom single-family homes at Fox Run of Geneva, Rivers Edge of St. Charles, Prince Crossing Farm in West Chicago, Walnut Court in Woodridge, Courthouse Square Rowhomes in downtown Wheaton, Mackenzie Place Townhomes of Wheaton, Blanchard Court townhomes in Wheaton, Woodland Oaks in unincorporated Wheaton, and at Stoddard Avenue in Wheaton. For more information on any of these communities, call Christy Whelan at 630-665-5700 or visit www.airhartconstruction.com.
[ Read More... ]
ENERGY STAR PARTNER BUILDER COMMITTED TO SUSTAINABLE, GREEN BUILDING
For years, Airhart Construction has garnered an impeccable reputation for rewarding its home buyers with more green in the form of greater savings on heating and cooling bills. Now, the energy efficient-minded builder has decided to go even greener by announcing that all homes it builds henceforth will meet the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Model Green Home Building Guidelines.
Introduced in 2005, NAHB’s Model Green Home Building Guidelines provide a benchmark set of standards for the residential building industry to follow. These voluntary guidelines suggest key steps that builders can take on their own to ensure that their homes are environmentally friendly and energy efficient, according to several different criteria—including lot preparation and design, resource and energy efficiency, water conservation and efficiency, and indoor environmental quality and occupancy comfort.
“Every residence we craft going forward is going to be conform to these NAHB guidelines,” said Court Airhart, president of West Chicago-based Airhart Construction. “This assures customers that their finished home will be built according to some of the most rigorous green measures for quality and efficiency available in our industry.”
“We wanted to earn the right to call ourselves a green builder by following a respected, industry-approved criteria in this case, the specifications set forth by a recognized source like the NAHB,” said Airhart.
The NAHB guidelines allow builders to self-certify their homes if they meet a minimum criteria in several different categories. Points are awarded for each provision met, with the minimum point total required set at 237 (indicating a “bronze” level of certification) and a maximum set at 395 (the “gold” level). Currently, Airhart Construction falls between silver and bronze certification with 272 total points.
The good news for buyers is that buying a home from Airhart Construction that is bronze level-certified won’t cost them anything extra—all the green features required to earn the bronze status are included in the base price.
“The significance of Airhart Construction meeting the NAHB guidelines is substantial, and quite commendable,” said Ron Jones, founder/editorial director of Green Builder® Magazine (www.greenbuildermag.com), former chairman of the NAHB’s Green Building Subcommittee, and current chair of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Consensus Committee, which is developing the National Green Building Standard™ based closely on the NAHB’s Model Green Home Building Guidelines. “Airhart is voluntarily building a product that yields a greater level of performance and meets a higher standard than is required. Add to this the fact that Airhart builds more then 40 homes a year and the NAHB compliance at no extra cost to the consumer speaks volumes about the commitment he’s making.”
Jones said that, according to results of a NAHB survey published last June, more than 97,000 homes have been built and certified by voluntary, builder-supported green building programs around the country since the mid-1990s. What’s more, 92 percent of builder respondents to a poll published in his magazine indicated that they are currently constructing green homes according to local or regional guidelines or will be within the next year.
“Within 10 years, green building will become so mainstream and accepted that we won’t even be calling it ‘green’ anymore,” predicted Jones. “Buyers will expect green home amenities as standard features, and builders will be pushed to even higher standards of quality and accountability. I admire the fact that builders like Airhart Construction are taking the initiative now to voluntarily comply with accepted guidelines in place. It can hopefully serve as an inspiration for other home building companies to do the same sooner versus later.”
Airhart’s firm has long been associated with energy-conscious building practices. The company began building homes utilizing passive solar technology more than 30 years ago. And in 2004, the builder was named an “Energy Star® Partner” home builder by Energy Star®, a government/industry partnership formed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. To qualify as an Energy Star® Partner home builder, Airhart Construction had to meet a strict set of energy performance criteria and train its staff to comply with Energy Star® guidelines.
Recently, Airhart Construction reassessed its entire operations to maximize its green building efforts. They created a “green team” who meet several times a year to evaluate the firm’s green practices. Airhart and crew were careful to leave no stone unturned—even going so far as to switch to a new waste management provider that recycles at least 70 percent of Airhart’s job site waste.
“The benefits of our green building efforts to homeowners are numerous,” Airhart said. “For starters, our buyers can expect an annual energy savings of approximately $200 to $400. In addition, they can count on increased comfort—excessive noise, cold and heat are kept out of the home, providing consistent temperatures between and across rooms. Indoor air quality is improved by ensuring that the HVAC system is sized and vented appropriately to bring in fresh air and expel pollutants that are generated. And our use of low-maintenance exteriors designed to stand up to the elements ensures that each home will boast enhanced durability and lower ongoing maintenance costs.”
What’s more, Airhart noted, the company’s green building practices will have a positive ecological impact.
“Green building is all about the efficient use of resources to produce and maintain a healthy, clean and robust environment,” he said. “Green-built homes put less stress on the planet because they’re designed to be energy efficient, which creates less pollution. They conserve natural resources by using renewable and recycled material, and they generate less waste.”
Ultimately, added Airhart, “we recognize that we have a serious responsibility to be good stewards for the environment. We want to set a good example in our industry that we have a duty to conserve our resources, reduce our energy consumption and protect the earth. And we won’t rest on our laurels, either. We’ll continue to scrutinize our products, systems and construction techniques to further improve our homes as time goes on.”
For more information on Airhart Construction’s green building practices or any of its new home communities, call (630) 845-1200 or visit www.airhartconstruction.com.
Over the last five decades, Airhart Construction has garnered a solid reputation for service and integrity while building homes of unsurpassed excellence. The family-owned-and-operated business has grown from a small niche builder to one that crafts more than 40 luxury homes a year. Airhart Construction is an Energy Star Partner® home builder that builds Energy Star® qualified new homes. Airhart is currently offering custom and semi-custom single-family homes at Fox Run of Geneva, Rivers Edge of St. Charles, Prince Crossing Farm in West Chicago, Walnut Court in Woodridge, Courthouse Square Rowhomes in downtown Wheaton, Mackenzie Place Townhomes of Wheaton, Blanchard Court townhomes in Wheaton, Woodland Oaks in unincorporated Wheaton, and at Stoddard Avenue in Wheaton. For more information on any of these communities, call Christy Whelan at 630-665-5700 or visit www.airhartconstruction.com.
[ Read More... ]