Wentworth Commons is a 51-unit, 65,800 sf affordable housing complex in Chicago’s Roseland neighborhood.  As a home for at-risk and formerly homeless families and individuals, Wentworth Commons has been recognized for its trendy aesthetics and functional green design.  The $13 million project has a slew of green features, including a 33 kWh PV system that provides 25% of the building’s power, a hyper efficient mechanical system, extensive use of locally sourced materials and rapidly renewable materials, and native plantings and bio-swale to reduce storm water runoff. 

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The fulcrum of the green building revolution, I think, is conservation and living happily with less.  It’ll be interesting to see how we get there, to see if we can live lighter.  In the meantime, I like to monitor small projects to see what piques the interest of crowds.  Lately Abōd® has been getting some quality attention.  Abōd was honored by the AIA this year with a Small Project Award.  The AIA explained the concept: "The design goal was to develop a breakthrough in value-engineered lowest cost housing with an extensive array of add-on options to personalize each home. The resulting design incorporating the Catenary arch is simple and structurally sound but also aesthetically pleasing and can be built by 4 people in just one day with only a screwdriver and an awl."

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We talked about renderings and plans for the Holy Cross Project back in August last year, but it’s now becoming a reality.  The first home is finished and Global Green plans to open it to the public this coming May.  When finished, the entire project will have four more homes and a 18-unit apartment complex — all of it low-income and green, too.  Global Green is shooting for LEED Platinum on everything and expects homes to use 75% less energy than a similar, typical building. 

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I’ve been following the 100k House Project since the beginning and I’m completely sucked into the process.  It’s a simple concept: low cost, modern, and green — something all houses should be.  Today, they posted all new renderings with James Hardie Vertical Panel siding in various shades of gray.  The new renderings present an entirely different look and feel that’s incredible.  Chad, I’m giving you major props on this one.  Interface Studio Architects is right on with that look.  I just wish I could buy one of them!

++New Renderings with Hardie and Stucco Siding [100k]

I just want to take a quick second to plug a good cause and introduce you to Project H Design, if you haven't already heard of it.  Project H Design was founded by the talented Emily Pilloton, Managing Editor of Inhabitat, as a charitable organization that supports, inspires, and delivers product design initiatives for Humanity, Habitats, Health, and Happiness.  Right now, Project H Design is working on a case study with Hippo Roller. 

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