The affiliates in Chicagoland strive to be environmentally conscious. It is very important to that they provide affordable housing that is also environmentally sustainable and energy efficient. One of the eight affiliates, Habitat for Humanity Lake County, built the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified Habitat affiliate home in the State of Illinois.
Habitat Lake County also built the very first Habitat for Humanity home in the state of Illinois with solar panels, providing reduced-cost, renewable energy for the low-income homeowner! They collaborated with Go Green Winnetka, Go Green Kenilworth, Go Green Northfield, and Go Green Glencoe as well as the senior class of New Trier High School on the solar crowd-funding.
Many affiliates in the Chicagoland area also employ the following 'green' energy efficient building practices:
- Low E windows with a 0.35 U-Factor and 0.26 Solar
- Energy Star certified refrigerators and dishwashers
- Compact fluorescent bulbs instead of 60 watt standard bulbs
- Building envelope sealed with sill sealer, window tape, and caulk to inhibit air infiltration
- Building wrapped with OSB and ½” rigid styrofoam sheathing, taped at seams, adding R3.5 insulation value
- Windows and doors sealed with low expansion foam
- Building sealed crawl spaces when applicable