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Brainard Avenue

    • BrightLeaf Homes built this 4,608-square-foot production home in La Grange, Illinois, to the high performance criteria of the U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program.
    • The home was designed on a 2-foot grid, starting with its 32-by-48-foot footprint, and incorporated several advanced framing concepts including two-stud corners on exterior walls, ladder blocking on interior partitions, right-sized and insulated headers, and window sizing aligned with the wall studs to minimize extra framing. These steps reduced the amount of wood in the walls, leaving more space for insulation.
    • ENERGY STAR-rated reflective shingles cover the roof while minimal roof penetrations leave more space for photovoltaic panels.
    • The home is equipped with a balanced whole-house ventilation system consisting of an electronic controller that coordinates a damper on the fresh air intake with the variable-speed furnace motor and a high-performance exhaust fan to provide fresh air as needed based on the occupant load.
    • The home is equipped with a balanced whole-house ventilation system consisting of an electronic controller that coordinates a damper on the fresh air intake with the variable-speed furnace motor and a high-performance exhaust fan to provide fresh air as needed based on the occupant load.
    • Domestic hot water is provided with a natural-gas-fired tankless hot water heater with an energy factor of 0.97. A motion-sensor-activated recirculation pump speeds hot water to master bath fixtures, while fixtures for the other bathrooms and the laundry are located along a shared wall, minimizing the distance the hot water needs to travel.
    • All of the home's light fixtures have LED bulbs. Although the basement has recessed canned lighting, BrightLeaf minimized the chances of air leaks to the attic by installing very few recessed can lights in the second-floor ceiling.
    • The basement walls are covered with a dimpled plastic water barrier then wrapped with 3 inches of XPS rigid foam with seams taped to keep out water.
    • A coated OSB product with taped seams covers the walls to serve as both sheathing and weather-resistant barrier.

      Brainard Avenue

      Project Address

      La Grange, IL

      Conditioned Square Footage
      4,608 sqft
      Number of Bedrooms
      6 Beds
      Number of Bathrooms
      4.0 Baths
      Number of Floors Above Grade
      2 Floors Above Grade
      Home Type
      Production
      Climate Zone Temperature
      Cold
      Climate Zone Humidity
      Humid

      With PV

      HERS Index with PV
      35HERS (PV)
      Average Monthly Energy Bill PV
      $140Average Monthly Energy Bill (PV)
      Annual Energy Cost Savings with PV
      $2,550Annual Energy Cost Savings (PV)
      30 Year Savings with PV
      $124,50030 Year Savings (PV)

      BrightLeaf Homes LLC

      ZERO

      HIA Year
      HIA Status
      Honorable Mention

      Learn More

      Key Features

      Key Features
      Compact (core) plumbing design Electric Vehicle Charger Installed or Wired for Charger Photovoltaics Raised-heel trusses Triple-pane windows ACH 50 < 2.5 or CFM50/SF of enclosure ≤ 0.25 Staggered Stud Walls Hot Water Recirculation Pump

      Additional Details

      Additional Details
      Basement

      See the Poster

      Testimonials

      Home owner (or occupant) Testimony
      The DOE Zero Energy Ready Home … has rigorous requirements that ensure outstanding levels of energy savings, comfort, health, and durability. A better home provides a living experience unlike anything else. Unparalleled comfort combined with a certified healthy living environment.
      Testimony Citation
      BrightLeaf Homes

      Additional Media

      Finished Elevations

        Finished Interiors

          Under Construction

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            Floor Plan