A diverse group met at Cook County Higher Education on Tuesday, October 14th to kick off the Northwoods Sustainable and Resilient Housing project, and to share examples of sustainable housing in the community, as well as what people wanted from this group moving forward.

Over 20 attendees represented backgrounds in environmental education, building, DIY construction, public policy, real estate, and residents who installed or are living in homes with sustainable features. We heard about local projects with pre-fab straw bale panels, timber framing, geothermal heat, solar water heat, passive house technologies, natural building materials, solar, masonry heaters, micro-off grid electric systems, thermal mass temperature regulation, housing cooperatives, earthen floors, log building, and more. Challenges and also opportunities were identified.

Affordable housing was an integral part of the conversation. Jeff Brand of the Housing Redevelopment Authority (HRA) restated some of the findings from the prior survey that was done. This included that Cook County needed 610 overall dwellings. Of those, 150 units of housing at less than 50% of the area median household income for those making under $45,000. Building the traditional and historic ways, they cannot be built fast enough or affordably enough without significant subsidies.

If you would like to hear the full conversation, click the link here:

Northwoods Sustainable Housing Project - Community Roundtable Video Recording
https://mycche.org/aiovg_videos/northwoods-sustainable-housing-project-community-roundtable/
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We visited an off-grid timber frame home build north of Hoveland and were introduced to hemp batt insulation. This insulation is easy to work with. It is flexible yet sturdy like rock wool, but takes much less energy to produce. It naturally balances moisture, is very insulating, non-toxic, and even smells sweet. 
The batts had to be ordered from a distant location, but even with shipping, the total cost was less than that of other alternatives.

Some of the benefits of Hemp insulation are:
Thermal Performance: The R-value is about R-3.7, better than fiberglass.
Acoustics: The dense material has excellent noise-dampening qualities
Moisture: Regulates moisture without mold and mildew growth.
Healthy: Made from plant fibers. No harmful chemicals, VOCs, or irritants. Safe: Requires no special safety equipment 
Pest Resistance: Silica and low protein make it naturally resistant 
Durability: Resistant to settling over time, and can last many decades 

Find more information about hemp is on the Resources page.