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For the last few months, the Museum of Science and Industry’s backyard has been taken over by construction. Real-estate developers haven’t gotten their dirty hands on the landmark; rather, the museum is creating an exhibit called “Smart Home”—a temporary single-family home decked out with the newest innovations in green technology. We’ll be the first to admit: It’s pretty much a sales pitch for various products. But, we’re also pining over each and every one of them. We cracked open the doors to give you a preview of the house, which opens May 8 (5700 S Lake Shore Dr, 773-684-1414; $23, seniors $22, kids 3–11 $14).
You can’t keep up with the Joneses without a flawlessly manicured yard. Urban conservation group Openlands is creating a rain garden, which reduces erosion, water pollution and flooding. University of Illinois Extension—the outreach arm of U of I Urbana-Champaign’s agriculture school—is adding a sustainable vegetable garden and a compost area. This is one case where we’re positive that the grass is not “greener” on the other side.
Ever wish your apartment was quieter, free of allergens, warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer? Of course you do. “Smart Home” utilizes an insulation that does all of that and more. Icynene’s insulation system uses an expanding spray foam that reduces energy consumption by 50 percent and substantially lowers your bills, too. Coming soon: An insulation that cooks up bacon and eggs in the morning and tucks you in at night.
Grab your grill and a cocktail topped by a little umbrella, and head to the deck. Wait, this is a museum—no eating or drinking allowed. But you can dream. The luxurious deck is made of reclaimed plastic and wood by Trex. Different from recycled, reclaimed means the materials were headed straight for the landfill before they were saved. Aw, you’re even doing good deeds in your dreams. Save us a lawn chair and a bratwurst.
You might be an oenophile in the kitchen, but Bedrock Industries puts wine enthusiasm in an unexpected place—the bathroom. The Seattle-based 100 percent–recycled-glass purveyor provided the bathroom tiles made out of discarded wine bottles. Fancy yourself a bold, crisp Chardonnay-type? Bedrock lets you show off your palette and palate with fern green tiles made from Chardonnay bottles.
The pain of working in a cubicle 12 hours a day is only surpassed by the misery of weekend home repairs. Luckily, long-lasting, energy-efficient materials mean this house won’t need any elbow grease: Ipe wood siding is made out of a fast-growing, superdurable plant from Brazil, and Cembonit cement board cladding never needs to be painted and has a lengthy lifespan.
Here’s a puzzling question plaguing Chicagoans: Why are heating vents placed midway up the wall and pointed upward? Jury’s still out. In the meantime, thaw your frozen toes on “Smart Home’s” radiant subfloor. Tubes of hot water keep the floor warm, and various rooms or zones can be heated or turned off in a snap. Plus, with this system, less energy equals more heat. And that’s a conundrum we like.
All home construction makes waste. “Smart Home” gets back on the right track with lamps created out of PVC pipes salvaged from construction sites. Provided by green furniture store Verde Design Studio (2100 W Armitage Ave), the Bone Lamps were made by local design duo Materious. If you’re wary of flaunting something that was retrieved from a garbage can, don’t be—the lamps resemble a twisted bone that’s far from a rinky-dink recycled aesthetic.
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