October 17, 2024
Chicago Welcomes the Conservatory Apartments: A Landmark in Sustainable Affordable Housing and First of Its Size to Be PHIUS Certified in the City of Chicago
The Interfaith Housing Development Corporation, in collaboration with the integrated architectural and engineering firm HED, proudly announces the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Conservatory Apartments, a groundbreaking development in the heart of Chicago. This innovative project represents a significant milestone in the city's pursuit of sustainable and affordable housing solutions.
Designed by HED, the Conservatory Apartments stand as a testament to the power of creative collaboration and forward-thinking design. With a total area of 24,950 square feet, this development addresses a critical need for attainable housing while pushing the boundaries of sustainable architecture by providing 43 affordable units.
Situated just north of the iconic Garfield Park Conservatory, on a boulevard, the Conservatory Apartments boast a first-of-its-kind design challenge at scale in Chicago. Notably, it is the first PHIUS Certified large, affordable, multi-family passive house project in Chicago, setting a new standard for environmentally conscious construction in the region. Despite the challenges posed by the seasonal climate, the project demonstrates that highly sustainable and affordable design is achievable, offering a blueprint for future developments.
Interfaith has partnered with two social service providers, Deborah’s Place and Trilogy Behavioral Health, to ensure that individuals who have experienced homelessness and other challenges are supported in a permanent housing setting. “Interfaith’s mission is to ensure those most in need are housed in a setting that promotes their stability and growth and we are thrilled that Conservatory Apartment achieves that with high quality architecture and design,” states Perry Vietti, President of Interfaith Housing Development Corporation.
The design ethos of the Conservatory Apartments revolves around biophilic principles, seamlessly integrating nature into urban living spaces. By incorporating elements such as a captivating moss wall in the lobby, natural wood accents for ceiling treatments and light fixtures and daylighting in the corridors the project blurs the boundaries between indoor and outdoor environments, creating a harmonious connection with its natural surroundings. This biophilic approach not only enhances the living experience for residents but also pays homage to the nearby conservatory and park.
Moreover, the sustainability goals of the project extend beyond PHIUS passive house certification. The Conservatory Apartments was also selected to participate in the Living Building Challenge (LBC) Pilot Program for affordable housing, underscoring its commitment to achieving the highest standards of environmental performance.
“Not only will this first-of-its kind development provide residents with quality housing and supportive services, but it will do so in an environmentally-conscious manner,” Chicago Housing Commissioner Lissette Castañeda said. “The Conservatory Apartments sets a new standard in sustainability for affordable housing in Chicago.”
The successful realization of the Conservatory Apartments would not have been possible without the dedicated efforts of all involved parties. HED provided comprehensive architectural design services, structural engineering, and landscape architecture, while partners Henry Brothers served as the Contractor, CCJM Engineers provided Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection engineering, d'Escoto, Inc. served as the Civil Engineer, Boeman Design served as the PHIUS CPHC consultant, and Eco Achievers served as the PHIUS Certified Verifier.
With its blend of sustainability, affordability, and visionary design, this landmark development promises to redefine urban living and inspire future generations of builders, designers, and community leaders.
Designed by HED, the Conservatory Apartments stand as a testament to the power of creative collaboration and forward-thinking design. With a total area of 24,950 square feet, this development addresses a critical need for attainable housing while pushing the boundaries of sustainable architecture by providing 43 affordable units.
Situated just north of the iconic Garfield Park Conservatory, on a boulevard, the Conservatory Apartments boast a first-of-its-kind design challenge at scale in Chicago. Notably, it is the first PHIUS Certified large, affordable, multi-family passive house project in Chicago, setting a new standard for environmentally conscious construction in the region. Despite the challenges posed by the seasonal climate, the project demonstrates that highly sustainable and affordable design is achievable, offering a blueprint for future developments.
Interfaith has partnered with two social service providers, Deborah’s Place and Trilogy Behavioral Health, to ensure that individuals who have experienced homelessness and other challenges are supported in a permanent housing setting. “Interfaith’s mission is to ensure those most in need are housed in a setting that promotes their stability and growth and we are thrilled that Conservatory Apartment achieves that with high quality architecture and design,” states Perry Vietti, President of Interfaith Housing Development Corporation.
The design ethos of the Conservatory Apartments revolves around biophilic principles, seamlessly integrating nature into urban living spaces. By incorporating elements such as a captivating moss wall in the lobby, natural wood accents for ceiling treatments and light fixtures and daylighting in the corridors the project blurs the boundaries between indoor and outdoor environments, creating a harmonious connection with its natural surroundings. This biophilic approach not only enhances the living experience for residents but also pays homage to the nearby conservatory and park.
Moreover, the sustainability goals of the project extend beyond PHIUS passive house certification. The Conservatory Apartments was also selected to participate in the Living Building Challenge (LBC) Pilot Program for affordable housing, underscoring its commitment to achieving the highest standards of environmental performance.
“Not only will this first-of-its kind development provide residents with quality housing and supportive services, but it will do so in an environmentally-conscious manner,” Chicago Housing Commissioner Lissette Castañeda said. “The Conservatory Apartments sets a new standard in sustainability for affordable housing in Chicago.”
The successful realization of the Conservatory Apartments would not have been possible without the dedicated efforts of all involved parties. HED provided comprehensive architectural design services, structural engineering, and landscape architecture, while partners Henry Brothers served as the Contractor, CCJM Engineers provided Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection engineering, d'Escoto, Inc. served as the Civil Engineer, Boeman Design served as the PHIUS CPHC consultant, and Eco Achievers served as the PHIUS Certified Verifier.
With its blend of sustainability, affordability, and visionary design, this landmark development promises to redefine urban living and inspire future generations of builders, designers, and community leaders.
About Interfaith Housing Development Corporation
IHDC's mission is to develop, operate, and preserve long term affordable housing for low-income, underserved populations in collaboration with local communities. As a nonprofit 501(c)3, IHDC develops high-quality, financially and environmentally sustainable, affordable housing for low-income individuals and families with supportive services as a foundational strategy. In its 32-year history, IHDC has created 20 affordable housing developments that range in size from 12 to 135 units, in total, generating 1,060 affordable rental units throughout the metropolitan Chicago area, most of which target special needs populations.
About HED
HED delivers architecture and engineering excellence through integrated and all-encompassing design. HED leverages imagination, purpose, process and advocacy to create efficient, sustainable, responsive solutions to our client’s evolving needs. As one of the top 200 design firms in the U.S., HED’s specialized sector teams serve clients in healthcare, education (higher education and Pre-K-12), mission-critical, housing/mixed-use, science, advanced manufacturing, workplace, community, transportation and the federal government. Our diverse team of 400+ professionals and experts operate in every time zone nationwide to consistently produce award-winning projects and designs. To learn more about what we can help you achieve, visit www.hed.design.
About PHIUS
PHIUS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting comfortable living for all and the well-being of the planet. This means driving down carbon emissions and working toward a net zero future. PHIUS works toward this goal by training and certifying professionals, maintaining the PHIUS climate-specific passive building standard, certifying and quality assuring passive buildings, certifying high-performance building products and conducting research to advance high-performance building.
About Eco Achievers
Based out of Chicago and Detroit, Eco Achievers has been a trusted provider of energy rating and green building consulting services since 2008. The team consists of credentialed building science professionals working to support both affordable and market-rate housing projects, as well as commercial buildings nationwide. Eco Achievers provides a variety of services including energy modeling, testing, verification, and facilitating certification for a spectrum of high-performance building standards. The firm's portfolio of certifications includes LEED, National Green Building Standard (NGBS) Enterprise Green Communities, ENERGY STAR, Zero Energy Ready Homes, Passive House U.S./ PHIUS, GreenStar, and several others. With over 11,000 certified homes and units across North America, Eco Achievers strives to make sustainable building accessible at every level.
About Boeman Design
Boeman Design is a boutique architecture firm and Women's Business Enterprise, proudly serving commercial, residential, and educational clients across the greater Chicago area and Michigan. Since 2016, we have specialized in Certified Passive House Consulting (CPHC) services, catering to the educational, institutional, and single and multi-family residential markets. At Boeman Design, our mission is to create sustainable, efficient, and innovative architectural solutions for a better future.
ABOUT CCJM
CCJM is a multi-disciplined, minority-owned engineering firm providing professional engineering services to the public and private sectors. Our firm specializes in engineering infrastructure solutions and partner with many peer firms to provide a full service where appropriate. Our commitment to sustainable principles and practices has helped CCJM achieve design excellence in energy efficient designs. We aim for a holistic approach – for integrated, intelligent building designs.
IHDC's mission is to develop, operate, and preserve long term affordable housing for low-income, underserved populations in collaboration with local communities. As a nonprofit 501(c)3, IHDC develops high-quality, financially and environmentally sustainable, affordable housing for low-income individuals and families with supportive services as a foundational strategy. In its 32-year history, IHDC has created 20 affordable housing developments that range in size from 12 to 135 units, in total, generating 1,060 affordable rental units throughout the metropolitan Chicago area, most of which target special needs populations.
About HED
HED delivers architecture and engineering excellence through integrated and all-encompassing design. HED leverages imagination, purpose, process and advocacy to create efficient, sustainable, responsive solutions to our client’s evolving needs. As one of the top 200 design firms in the U.S., HED’s specialized sector teams serve clients in healthcare, education (higher education and Pre-K-12), mission-critical, housing/mixed-use, science, advanced manufacturing, workplace, community, transportation and the federal government. Our diverse team of 400+ professionals and experts operate in every time zone nationwide to consistently produce award-winning projects and designs. To learn more about what we can help you achieve, visit www.hed.design.
About PHIUS
PHIUS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting comfortable living for all and the well-being of the planet. This means driving down carbon emissions and working toward a net zero future. PHIUS works toward this goal by training and certifying professionals, maintaining the PHIUS climate-specific passive building standard, certifying and quality assuring passive buildings, certifying high-performance building products and conducting research to advance high-performance building.
About Eco Achievers
Based out of Chicago and Detroit, Eco Achievers has been a trusted provider of energy rating and green building consulting services since 2008. The team consists of credentialed building science professionals working to support both affordable and market-rate housing projects, as well as commercial buildings nationwide. Eco Achievers provides a variety of services including energy modeling, testing, verification, and facilitating certification for a spectrum of high-performance building standards. The firm's portfolio of certifications includes LEED, National Green Building Standard (NGBS) Enterprise Green Communities, ENERGY STAR, Zero Energy Ready Homes, Passive House U.S./ PHIUS, GreenStar, and several others. With over 11,000 certified homes and units across North America, Eco Achievers strives to make sustainable building accessible at every level.
About Boeman Design
Boeman Design is a boutique architecture firm and Women's Business Enterprise, proudly serving commercial, residential, and educational clients across the greater Chicago area and Michigan. Since 2016, we have specialized in Certified Passive House Consulting (CPHC) services, catering to the educational, institutional, and single and multi-family residential markets. At Boeman Design, our mission is to create sustainable, efficient, and innovative architectural solutions for a better future.
ABOUT CCJM
CCJM is a multi-disciplined, minority-owned engineering firm providing professional engineering services to the public and private sectors. Our firm specializes in engineering infrastructure solutions and partner with many peer firms to provide a full service where appropriate. Our commitment to sustainable principles and practices has helped CCJM achieve design excellence in energy efficient designs. We aim for a holistic approach – for integrated, intelligent building designs.