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Located in Chicago's Hermosa neighborhood, shown in this aerial photograph, Factor 10 House is sited on a narrow city lot with adjacent houses.
Credit: Esherick Homsey Dodge & Davis
Factor 10 House's modular design minimizes waste of materials and allows for off-site assembly. The siding, visible in this photo, is made of reconstituted cement and colored with a low-emission stain. The wrap-around deck is constructed from certified Ipe, a Brazilian hardwood that naturally resists rot, decay, insects, and mold. This strong, dense wood whose expected lifespan is more than 25 years, is naturally fire resistant and harvested from naturally sustainable forests.
Credit: Doug Snower Photography
Sedum on the roof, shown in this photograph, acts as an insulator through evaporative cooling to reduce energy consumption. It also retains stormwater, reduce the impact on Chicago's sewer system; eliminates the effects of UV rays, lengthening the life of the roofing membrane; and mitigates the urban heat-island effect. This self-sufficient plant lives year-round and does not require watering or upkeep.
Credit: Doug Snower Photography
A basement was designed for future expansion and to facilitate a raised porch and stairs, a common layout in the neighborhood. The porch, visible in this photo, includes corrugated metal awnings that help channel air through the windows, provide cover, and minimize heat gain.
Credit: Doug Snower Photography
The south-facing clerestory window shown here brings light to the core of the house, reducing the need for artificial lighting. This light warms the water bottles to help heat the house in the winter.
Credit: Doug Snower Photography
Second floor carpeting, visible in this photo, is made from recycled plastic bottles. Due to the placement of utilities and equipment in the basement, an open, unencumbered layout is achieved on floors one and two.
Credit: Doug Snower Photography
These drawings represent F10's first and second floors, as well as it's basement. The open 1,234-ft2 floor plan enhances cross ventilation. A solar chimney is incorporated into the stairwell of the home.
Credit: Esherick Homsey Dodge & Davis
The plan layout uses a 2'-0" wood framing module to minimize material waste. The careful placement of windows, including those shown in this photograph, maximizes reflected light into the home and reduces glare. The flooring on the first floor, visible in this photo, consists of cork tiles, a long-lasting and renewable product.
Credit: Doug Snower Photography
The wall of water bottles, shown here, acts as a heat sink in the solar chimney. Augmented by a whole-house fan, the shaft will pull warm air up and out of the house in the summer, and push warm air down in the winter.
Credit: Doug Snower Photography
This section diagram highlights some of F10's green features.
Credit: Esherick Homsey Dodge & Davis and the Chicago Architecture Foundation
