General FAQ’s
Currently, SmartHaus operates primarily in the Chicago metro area; however, the homes can be designed and built anywhere in the US.
Yes! All of SmartHaus’ designs are LEED-certified by US Green Building Council standards. LEED certification measures a home’s performance on eight different categories, ensuring an energy-efficient and healthy living. For more information, refer to the Green Homes tab. SmartHaus also takes into account the HERS Index that takes into account home sustainability.
The HERS Index is the nationally recognized scoring system for measuring a home’s energy performance. Based on the measurement results, a home will receive a HERS Index Score. The index provides insights on how a home ranks in terms of energy efficiency and any energy problems in the house.
SmartHaus advocates the usage of renewable and non-toxic materials in its building process. Thus, materials will not need to be chemically treated or painted, less maintenance work will be required, and the homes will be healthier to live in.
Costs
The homes can be built for about the same cost as other homes in your neighborhood. This varies depending on the geographic location.
SmartHaus designed projects will use 50-80 percent less energy than a conventional new home. As a result, you can expect significantly lower energy and utility bills and a more comfortable indoor environment.
These are some of the available green home features included:
- Solar Energy Systems
- Efficient Building Envelope
- Efficient Lighting
- Energy Star Appliances
- High-Efficiency Heating and Cooling Systems
- Rain Collection Systems
- Energy Monitoring Systems
Process
Building a home with SmartHaus consists of 5 main phases: Acquiring the land, Obtaining Financing, Preliminary Design & Contract, Engineering & Permitting, and Manufacturing Setup & Walkthrough. For a more detailed description, visit our Green Home Process page.
Once the house is in accordance with all state and local building codes, the modular units can be constructed in as little as 6-8 months.
We offer standard designs, but the designs can be customized to your preferences.
Key Industry Terms
LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and it is a green-building certification system. LEED is applicable for all buildings, ranging from homes to corporate buildings at all phases of development. Projects pursuing LEED certification earn points across several areas that address sustainability issues. Based on the number of points achieved, a project then receives one of four LEED rating levels: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. LEED-certified buildings are usually energy, water and cost efficient.
LED is an acronym for light-emitting diode which is a semiconductor device that glows when an electric current runs through it. The LED Bulbs lasts about 50 times longer and uses only about one-sixth the energy of incandescent bulbs.
Energy Star is a federal program run jointly by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE). Housing products including household products and new homes that are awarded the Energy Star label have been tested by their manufacturers to ensure they meet the government’s minimum standards for energy efficiency and reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions. Energy Star could also help you earn a federal tax credit.
A Solar Panel, also known as PV (photovoltaic) panel, is an interconnected assembly of photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight to electricity. An array is usually mounted on a rooftop or freestanding and connected to a battery and an inverter to store power and convert to electric current for home use.
VOC is an acronym for Volatile Organic Compounds which are invisible gases often times emitted by household paint, furniture and carpets. These gases are detrimental to human health and have been associated with causing minor issues such as eye and nose irritation to major issues such as liver damage. In recent times, there have been an increasing number of low and no-VOC products.