CHICAGO, Jan. 8, 2008 /PRNewswire/ --
During its 75th Anniversary year, Chicago's Museum of Science
and Industry will build a functioning, three-story modular and
sustainable "green" home in its own backyard to showcase the
ways, big and small, that people can make eco-friendly living
a part of their lives, and to highlight unique home
technologies for the 21st century.
The home, conceived by Michelle Kaufmann Designs(TM) and built
by All American Homes(TM), will be the basis for the exhibit
Smart Home: Green + Wired, Powered by ComEd and Warmed by
Peoples Gas, which will be open from May 8, 2008 through Jan.
4, 2009. This marks the first time that a museum has built a
fully functioning exhibit home of this kind on its grounds.
Celebrating exciting new directions in sustainable living and
spectacular, environmentally friendly technology, the exhibit
will offer guests guided tours of the 2,500 square-foot home
and grounds, located in a park on the east side of the Museum.
Within the home, guests will be able to view the latest
innovations in reusable resources, smart energy consumption,
and clean, healthy-living environments in a contemporary
setting.
With the help of Wired magazine, "smart" technologies will be
incorporated throughout the home, including a full-home
automation system that allows homeowners to control heat,
window coverings, lighting, security sensors and cameras. A
touch screen will track electricity and water consumption in
the home on a real-time basis. The technologies will
demonstrate how a home can inspire lifestyle choices and be
equipped to save resources while residents are away, as well
as keep a home and its occupants protected. The Smart Home:
Green + Wired garage will house the latest in low-emission and
energy-efficient vehicles from Honda.
How the Home Will Be Built
The modular home is being constructed at the All American
Homes' modular construction facility in Decatur, Ind. The
module construction takes place on an assembly line and lasts
approximately three weeks. In this precision-engineered and
climate-controlled environment, All American is able to build
homes 60 percent faster and in a more environmentally-friendly
way than traditional site-built construction.
Home Interior
The interior architecture, which is inviting, sophisticated
and family-friendly, will demonstrate the use of natural
light, open spaces, energy-efficient heating, ventilation and
air-conditioning systems, and energy-efficient building
components to maximize a healthy-living environment. The
materials chosen -- from the windows to the fixtures to the
counters and floors -- will tell a compelling story of
sustainable engineering and eco-friendly design. Guests will
see how stormwater runoff can be collected for landscape
irrigation; how toilets can be equipped to use waste water
from the shower and bath; how spray-in foam insulation can
create a completely sealed building, resulting in better air
quality, a quieter home and greater energy efficiency; and how
recycled bottles and fly ash can create beautiful bathroom
countertops.
Smart Home: Green + Wired is a must-see exhibit for anyone who
wants their home, and life, to be smarter, more efficient and
more in tune with the environment than it is today. This
exhibit will require an additional timed-entry ticket, which
will be $10 for adults and seniors and $5 for children 3-11.
Advance tickets will be on sale at http://www.msichicago.org/
by Feb. 15, 2008. Smart Home: Green + Wired is additionally
supported by sponsors Honda, Motorola and Dominick's.
The Museum of Science and Industry's mission is to inspire the
inventive genius in everyone by presenting captivating and
compelling experiences that are real and educational. The
Museum first opened its doors on June 19, 1933. In 2008 --
more than 175 million guests later -- the Museum commemorates
its 75th Anniversary with a year-long celebration. For more
information, visit the Museum's Web site at http://www.msichicago.org/
or call (773) 684-1414 or (800) GO-TO-MSI outside of the
Chicago.
Source: Museum of Science and Industry
CONTACT: Lisa Miner, +1-773-947-6005, or Beth Boston,
+1-773-947-6003,
both of The Museum of Science and Industry
Web site:
http://www.msichicago.org/
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