Several new developments in Chicago tout improved energy efficiency through green building - but none until now has backed it up with a guarantee.

Green Armitage, 3018 W Armitage Ave, is an eight-unit development in Palmer Square engineered with a number of green components, including efficient insulation, recycled construction material and improved stormwater systems that keep runoff out of the city's storm drains.

The developers (The Sanders Co., Eco Smart Building and Celeste Karan) believe so strongly in the energy efficiency of the new development that they've cast down the proverbial (green) gauntlet: Under normal everyday use, buyers' energy bills will not exceed $600 for the first two years.

Now, we're not too sure what exactly constitutes an energy bill at this new development (electricity and gas? water too?), but it's refreshing to see a green project designed around performance - as opposed to form.

We're particularly intrigued by Green Armitage's online FAQ, which helps buyers understand why the developers eschewed more showy green components in favor of tried-and-true efficiency upgrades.

Are there solar panels?

No. And here's why…

Currently, the addition of a PV system is not cost effect for either the builder or the buyer. The technology for PV (photovoltaic) panels is rapidly improving. In a very short time, there will be panels available that produce much more energy more efficiently and cost less than what is now on the market. Green Armitage is "pre-piped" to allow easy addition of a solar panel system when the technology has reached a point at which it is cost effective for the condo association to purchase one. Patience now will pay big dividends in the near future.

Green Armitage exceeds ENERGY STAR efficiency standards by about 90 percent, according to its Web site, and the entire project is attempting to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The project's eight three-bedroom units start in the $390s; delivery is expected in fall 2008.

As part of an upcoming New Homes Magazine article, we spoke with Rich Kosmacher, business development manager with I-GO Car Sharing.

I-GO is a distinctly Chicago endeavor that launched in 2002 as a nonprofit effort through the Center of Neighborhood Technology. Since then, the program's nifty cars - mostly fuel-efficient Hondas and Toyotas - have become ubiquitous at grocery stores and public parking garages around the city. Drivers reserve cars at locations around the city and then pay an hourly rate to use the vehicles; gas and insurance is provided through the program.

As a nonprofit, I-GO can claim a deep market penetration, often bringing cars into areas ahead of the pending gentrification wave. And for urban homebuyers, the presence of an I-GO car is seen as a vote of confidence in the future of the neighborhood itself.

As you may have heard, the Museum of Science and Industry yesterday announced the construction of a green "smart home" as a part of the museum's 75th anniversary celebration.

According to the Sun-Times, the three-story house will incorporate green products and materials, such as dual-flush toilets, cement siding, LED fixtures and a green roof, into a design intended to maximize natural lighting and airflow.

The six-piece mkSolaire was designed by Michelle Kaufmann of Oakland, Calif., and will be constructed at a Coachmen Industries factory in Decatur, Ind. Workers will assemble the house prior to the exhibit's opening on May 8. The exhibit will run through January 2009.

Stay tuned — hopefully we'll get a chance to talk with Kaufmann about her design and get a video of our walk-through posted on the Yo in the coming months. In the meantime, you can keep up with the exhibit's development by reading Kaufmann's blog.

"I've dealt with Erik Olsen on a project, and this process is really worthwhile. Getting a building permit in Chicago is often a big unknown in terms of time and expense, and this green permit program can really get things moving quickly and smoothly."

- UptownR commenting on our post about incentives offered from various cities around the country for sustainable projects.

Chicago's green permitting program is operated by Erik Olsen, and he also serves as webmaster for GreenBean, a blog that tracks "built, in-progress and unbuilt green buildings in Chicago." It's a fairly comprehensive resource for green projects here in Chicagoland, and the latest entries have been residential projects.

Erik is currently seeking suburban contributors to beef up the site's coverage; if you know anyone who fits the bill, drop him an email.

"In terms of waiting for the federal government, we've waited a long time, and frankly, we haven't gotten very much. And how do you change someone's behavior? The simple answer is cash."

–Jared Blumenfeld, director of San Francisco's Department of Environment, in an AP article. According to the story, cities are offering ever-increasing financial rebates for homeowners who implement green technologies.

Here in Chicago, Erik Olsen heads up an expedited permitting program that drastically reduces the time it takes to get a building permit - provided the project is green.

It used to be a tavern, but now a century-old building at 1825 W. Wabansia Ave. in Bucktown has a new label: the first home in Chicago to go green under new initiative designed especially for homes.

LEED for Homes was launched in November by the U.S. Green Building Council to rate environmental impact and energy efficiency in private residences. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a program developed by the USGBC to benchmark sustainable buildings.

Several existing LEED programs have already been applied to green condo towers around the city, but this program was developed specifically for single-family residences and multifamily properties no higher than three stories. The two-story brick building was the only one in Illinois to take part in the program’s two-year pilot phase.

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Pardon me for thinking about the hoopla surrounding City Hall's green roof as I watched the fireworks at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at Daley Plaza.

We've written about the nifty electric scooter that's available to buyers at Emerald in the West Loop. Recently, though, they've rolled out a laundry list of incentives for buyers who purchase before the end of December. From Emerald's web site:

• $5,000 in free home upgrades
• That oh-so-green electric scooter valued at more than $2,000
• $5,000 in upgrades for referring another buyer
• $1,000 off closing costs if you use Providence Funding Group, Emerald's lending partner

Prices for one- and two-bedroom units start in the $270s and go up to the $520s.

Kate Hawley is leaving YoChicago tomorrow (Pearl Harbor Day), and Patrick Rollens will become the new managing editor of YoChicago and New Homes Magazine.

In the video above, Kate introduces Patrick and they talk briefly about his passion for green building and the environment. In the second part of the interview, Patrick talks about green building in Chicago and about the piss-poor reception the city has given to waterless urinals.

We'll miss Kate, but she'll still be with us off and on as a freelance writer. Look for her take on lofts in the February 2008 issue of New Homes Magazine.

Condo buyers at eco18, a 12-story green building planned for the South Loop, can for a limited time get a free parking space valued at $18,900 - a place to stash the Prius on the days they walk to nearby el or Metra trains.

That's assuming they take green cred seriously, which is likely if they've plunked down $249,900 to $649,900 for a condo at eco18. Environmentally friendly features of the 93-unit building, which will also have 9,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, include a solar thermal hot water system, a green rooftop garden and heating and cooling run by a geothermal energy system that uses pipes drilled 450 feet into bedrock.

Condo owners stand to save about 40 percent in energy costs compared to a traditional building, according to Rick Turner, president of Dynaprop Development Corp, the company behind the project. Dynaprop will seek LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Council, a Washington nonprofit that sets national standards for eco-friendly building.

Jameson Realty Group, the marketing agent, reports that the building is 25 percent sold.