Blog JB Architecture

Welcome to Blog JB Architecture. Here we discuss everything JB Architecture from architecture, construction, and consulting to projects past, present and future.  Join the conversation today and thank you for participation. JBA

JB Architecture Group, Inc. is proud to announce that the first anticipated LEED for Homes certified house in Naperville is now under construction!

What is LEED for Homes, you may ask? 

A LEED-certified home is designed and constructed in accordance with the rigorous guidelines of the LEED for Homes green building certification program. LEED for Homes is a consensus-developed, third party-verified, voluntary rating system which promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes.  In a nutshell, a LEED home is one that uses less energy, conserves water and resources, and is altogether healthier for those who occupy it.  While many local contractors have claimed to build a Green product in Naperville, none have yet to achieve this level of sustainability.  To put this into perspective, there are only 15 residences in the state of Illinois that are certified at any level of the LEED for Homes program. 

Traditionally, energy efficient, cutting edge Green homes have been associated with a cold, contemporary style of architecture.  Because of JB Architecture Group’s close ties to Community First, Naperville’s compatible redevelopment association, this sustainably built home blends the character of the surrounding area with the expected efficiency of a high performance, sustainably built home.  As yet another commitment to sustainability and neighborhood alike, the project is being completed on a previously distressed lot that had sat unfinished for over two years.

Despite all of these challenges, the finished product is anticipated to perform more than 50% better than current energy efficiency requirements and be indistinguishable from a traditionally built home.

For more information on this unique and cutting edge project you can reach JB Architecture Group, Inc. at 630.505.9528 or email us at info@jbarchitecture.com

Around the nation people are trying to best answer the question of what is a green home. Here at JB Architecture, we believe we’ve found our answer. A green home is one that uses less energy, conserves water & resources and is altogether healthier for those living in it. Nearly every house we design exhibits some of these facets of green design; from increased wall insulation, to innovative new green products. Working with clients to provide the project of their dreams, within budget and with conservation at mind is what we do. Allow us the opportunity to show why we’ve been working in the Naperville area for the past fifteen years and how we’ll prove our commitment to do the right thing over the next fifteen.

Green ideas every client should know:

• Use “lifelong” or sustainable products wherever possible – use cement board siding in lieu of cedar; bamboo floors in lieu of typical hardwoods

• Install low-flow or ultra low-flow plumbing fixtures throughout your home – installing low-flow fixtures saves around 20-30% potable water usage at little to no extra initial cost

• Choose engineered lumber whenever possible – wood “I-beam” type floor joists use a higher percentage of the tree and thus are more sustainable

• Design for your region – local products & native landscaping are two major ways of ensuring the most efficiency for your project

• Use higher efficiency insulation – insulation is the single easiest way to impact the efficiency of a home; even the best HVAC system is inefficient without proper insulation

• A house needs to be treated as an interconnected system – houses are only as efficient as their weakest component; tight well-constructed homes will develop mold without proper ventilation

• Central vacuum systems are a healthy option– indoor air quality is often 2-5x more polluted than outside; central vacuums take dust outside rather than just filtering inside

• Select chemically safe furniture and finishes – ensure your selections account for low V.O.C. materials & finishes. Everything from carpeting to paint releases Volatile Organic Compound gasses which can be dangerous to humans

• Ensure the function of your appliances & products – contractors can verify & inspect to ensure that all systems are operating as they are intended after installation

• Design Specifically – oversized systems run for shorter periods but more often & less efficiently

If you have interest in learning more about how to properly design and live in a Green Home, please contact JB Architecture Group, Inc at 630.505.9528 or find us on the web at www.jbarchitecture.com.

by Diane DiVall

At the Hesed House the mission is simple: Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless and give people the chance to hope again. The group has served homeless men, women and children in the Fox Valley area since 1985. But recently Hesed House itself needed help…and it came, but from an unlikely place. Executive director Ryan Dowd says no one is turned away, which means there’s an increasing need for more space. Hesed House operates three housing programs: An overnight emergency shelter, the transitional living community in a dormitory-style facility for families who are trying to stay together, and supported housing, which is scattered throughout Aurora.  When Hesed House opened on the south side of Aurora more than twenty years ago, the building was perfectly suited for feeding and sheltering the homeless, says Dowd. But he explains that the 2008 model has changed from providing shelter to helping people “get back on their feet again” in a more permanent way. That approach requires extra help from supportive social services like job training, medical treatment and substance abuse counseling.  Right now, the people who provide those services are working in very cramped offices, and many workers are sharing office space and computers. Moving to a new facility would help workers be more efficient and free up more space for the homeless.  Hesed House recently purchased an abandoned building across South River Street where it will soon house its social services. “The idea is to build a one stop shop,” Dowd explains. Of course, renovating an old building is expensive and Hesed House, like most non-profit organizations, operates on a tight budget. So the organization ran a help wanted ad to find someone to design the space… and waited for a response. Four architects came back with bids. Dowd says three of them were expensive and all about the same price.  But then the board of directors met with Jonathan Bieritz, president of JB Architecture Group Inc. in Naperville. “I’ve been aware of Hesed House as long as I can remember,” Bieritz says. He grew up in Aurora and now lives in Sugar Grove with his wife and three children. Interestingly, even as a young boy, Bieritz knew he wanted to do something with houses. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in architecture. But beyond that, he credits his parents for teaching him good values and giving him a sense of community and responsibility.  Bieritz says this “chance to give back” came at just the right time. He offered to do the entire Hesed House renovation project for free—a donation of time and talents worth about $20,000. Dowd remembers the moment Bieritz made his generous offer. “There were six of us in the room interviewing him when he said it,” says Dowd. “My recollection is the room just got silent for a while. We wanted to look professional. So we told him we would get back to him,” he says with a smile.  Bieritz downplays his contribution. “This is a humbling experience to work with people who don’t have anything. I like working on the big ones, but everyone needs a place to sleep,” he says.  Dowd says the non-profit group is grateful to have the help. “In this business you get used to begging for stuff and pleading for stuff. It’s very rare that someone comes up and offers to give you tens of thousands of dollars in services,” adds Dowd. So what will be done with that money? The exterior facade of the building will get a face lift. Bieritz says it hasn’t been touched in decades. It will also be made more energy efficient. Inside, an open, common space will be surrounded by offices for social services. The entire project will be 36,000 square feet. Construction could start as early as next month and Hesed House hopes to begin moving into the building in 2009.  The group says its members… and the many people it serves… will change even more lives because Bieritz is helping them build their dreams for the future.

Published in Naperville Magazine, October, Volume 4, No. 9

E-mail: info@jbarchitecture.com