CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwire - Sep 13, 2011) - Industry-leading online real estate brokerage Dream Town Realty has been named the listing company for one of Chicago's greenest homes. The 4,250 sq. ft. eco-friendly abode in East Village has one of the biggest residential solar energy generating systems in the city and is going to be featured in two high-profile events showcasing Chicago homes this year.
When built in 2010, the 10 kilowatt solar generation system at 1459 W. Walton was the largest system of its kind installed in a Chicago residence. It has 36 solar panels connected to a special performance-monitoring command center that maximizes each panel's individual production level. On sunny days, the home produces more electricity than it can use, so it sells energy back to ComEd. It has an electric car charging station in the garage and Energy Star top-rated mechanicals.
The home generates electricity through a sophisticated configuration of 280 Watt solar panels attached to the roof, breezeway and garage. There are 36 panels in all, operated by a Tigo computerized management system that allows for constant online evaluation of its output. The system is so efficient it actually makes enough power on clear days to run the entire house and have extra to resell to the city's main electricity supplier ComEd.
Listing agent for the property Stephanie Wesson of Dream Town Realty points out the system is also eligible for government rebates and incentives. "The owner of this house not only gets the cost savings from lowered utility bills, but also qualifies for money back from the government for clean energy generation," she explained. The combination of energy production and reduced energy consumption greatly downsize the carbon footprint of this large, 3-level Chicago residence.
The property has four bedrooms, 3.1 bathrooms and a custom atrium stairwell that extends the full height of the house. A sizeable skylight at the top of the atrium helps illuminate the interior of the home with natural sunlight, minimizing the need to turn on lights (and use up electricity) during the day. 1459 W. Walton has high-insulation Pella windows throughout and a high-grade brick construction that further increases the home's insulating ability.
"In addition to green features, this house was designed with very upscale finishes," said Wesson of the contemporary-style East Village home. "Appliances include all the high-end brands. There is a temperature-controlled wine cellar in the media room, a 4-person cedar sauna in the lower level, custom hardwood doors throughout and heated floors in the master bath."
The solar-powered residence went on the market in early August for a price of $1,190,000. It will be showcased in a temporary exhibit in the Lecture Hall of the Chicago Architecture Foundation this fall. Presented by the U.S. Green Building Council, Neighborhoods Go Green! focuses on "scaling up sustainability" in the local community. The show is free to the public and opens November 17th at 224 South Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago.
1459 W. Walton will also be included in this year's Illinois Solar Tour, a free self-guided tour of green businesses and private residences throughout the state. Guidebooks for the October 1st tour will be available in the September issue of Mindful Metropolis Magazine.
"The Solar Tour is a great opportunity to see first-hand what homeowners in the state of Illinois are doing to decrease energy use and increase property values through green building practices," said Wesson, adding that anyone looking to purchase green Chicago real estate doesn't need to wait until October to see the solar-powered property at 1459 W. Walton. Immediate showing appointments can be made through Wesson at Dream Town Realty. Dream Town lists single-family homes and Chicago condos throughout the city and suburbs.
About Dream Town Realty
Dream Town is largely recognized as the leader in online Chicago real estate. Its top-ranked website receives tens of thousands of unique visitors weekly. The company has developed proprietary technology and applications to improve online house hunting and offer the most advanced Internet home search available to Chicago buyers today. Dream Town Realty provides residential buyer and seller services, as well as commercial and international divisions and REO sales. The company also has a new home construction and renovation branch called Dream Town Builders and Remodeling.
Contact Information:
Dream Town Realty
312.265.8000