Join us to learn about Evanston’s first certified Passive House, a modern, all-electric home seamlessly integrated into one of the city’s historic districts. Completed on Earth Day, April 22nd, 2024, this groundbreaking project demonstrates how high-performance design can coexist with the aesthetic demands of a traditional neighborhood. Hear directly from the homeowner, architect, and builder as they share insights on navigating design, construction, and preservation challenges while achieving net positive energy performance and carbon-free operations. Key features of the project include innovative daylighting strategies, durable and low-carbon materials, and thoughtful aging-in-place design. This home offers a compelling case study in combining sustainability, resilience, and architectural sensitivity. 

Learning objectives:  

• Identify the architectural and regulatory challenges of designing a modern home within Evanston Ridge Historic District, where most homes date from 1880 to 1920. 
• Describe integrated strategies for achieving net positive energy performance—such as photovoltaic (PV) generation, high-performance envelope design, and passive solar techniques—and explain how Passive House principles can be adapted for historic contexts. 
• Analyze the construction techniques used to achieve a highly airtight envelope, including methods that led to an ACH50 of 0.37 on a project implementing its first blower door test. 
• Examine the financial incentives and tax credits available to support high-performance residential construction, as shared from the homeowner’s experience. 

Speakers: 

• Scott Berliant, Principal | General Council, Berliant Builders, Inc.
• Nathan Kipnis, FAIA, Principal, Kipnis Architecture + Planning 
• Margaret Stender, Homeowner & Founding CEO of the Chicago Sky