Easier to be green
The Chicago Sun-Times, April 22, 2005

BY SALLY DUROS

Mazurka Wojciechowska, 48, a musician who plays the uncommon instrument of accordion, was looking for a safe haven where she could dance and sing into the wee hours rehearsing her Bohemian act. It is against the law to play live music after 10 p.m. in an apartment building, and although her neighbors in her West Rogers Park condo building didn't complain, Wojciechowska felt the call to more flexible practice hours.

So in fall 2004, she bought a Historic Chicago Bungalow. "I've loved Chicago bungalows since I read an article about them being described as 'little castles' among the apartment buildings," Wojciechowska said. "The very first day that I moved in, I fulfilled my fantasy of practicing on my own front steps outside."

Wojciechowska said she likes the way bungalows are built for the working class but still have a measure of individuality.Her 3-bedroom bungalow in the Hermosa neighborhood was built in 1929. Exterior details include checkerboard face brick. Original interior features include a stained glass window above the decorative fireplace and art deco wood trim.

Mazurka Wojciechowska, 48, a musician who plays the uncommon instrument of accordion, was looking for a safe haven where she could dance and sing into the wee hours rehearsing her Bohemian act.

Before she had even begun receiving mail at her new address, she had replaced the roofs on the house and the garage, as well as her gutters. She also did minor electrical repairs that included updating the fuse box to circuit breakers, installing new light fixtures in three rooms, and adding 1920s sconces in the dining room.

In the next year or so, Wojciechowska is planning major repairs on her attic. Replacing the east windows, creating a new west-facing window and insulating the entire space will take her much closer to realizing her dream of a heated practice room, a place where Wojciechowska can dance and sing the "Beer Barrel Polka" to her heart's content.

Her plans are well-timed with the unveiling of a new architectural pattern drawing, "Building Green and Environmentally Friendly," by the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association at the fourth annual Bungalow Expo on April 30. Also new this year is a pattern drawing to help make a bungalow accessible to people who use wheelchairs.

The new patterns bring to eight the number of pattern drawings available to owners of certified historic bungalows. Each pattern costs $10 and can save the homeowner the estimated $8,000 cost of hiring an architect to draw up plans.

The "green" and "accessibility" patterns join previous releases by the HCBA that offer patterns for:
Adding a rear room.
Adding a dormer.
Renovating a kitchen.
Renovating a bathroom.
Basement improvements.
Back porch improvements.

"The restoration of a bungalow is in fact a building green activity," said pattern drawer and local architect Scott Sonoc, pointing out that any restoration saves the energy of building a new structure. "The green plans are really a multidisciplinary approach to conserving energy and conserving resources."

Several of Wojciechowska's plans have greening effects. Increasing the insulation in the ceiling, roof, walls and basement all conserve energy. Another energy-saving item is replacing old windows with double-pane windows filled with argon gas that acts as an invisible insulator. "It keeps the heat in and keeps the hot out," Sonoc said. And replacement windows can be ordered to exact fit, he said.

Other green improvements include replacing the mechanical systems, like the hot water heater, with more energy-efficient models, and using low-flow toilets to conserve water. The pattern even makes recommendations for using healthier floor refinishers and paints.

"Building green costs more upfront over the life of the home," Sonoc said. For example, "the higher efficiency furnace will cost more, but you will save so much on the operating costs that you will break even."

The pattern takes the owner as far as he or she wants to go in the greening process, including schematic, worksheets and outlines for green rooftops, ground water recharge, heat absorption and heat flow, roof-top gardens and solar insulation. The drawings also include construction/bid forms for a range of appropriate costs, which help when working with professionals.

The patterns also save bungalow owners considerable time by simplifying the process of getting permits, with the goal of boiling the process down to 48 hours from start to finish.

The HCBA developed its patterns in conjunction with the City of Chicago's Department of Construction and Permits.

Wojciechowska plans to take advantage of every benefit offered by the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association to make her house energy efficient.

"Repairs are not cheap and I'm not a handy person," said Wojciechowska, who admits to the lifelong practice of turning off lights when she leaves a room to conserve energy. "I will do my upgrades as I save money.Two-thousand dollars for a few projects, wait a couple months, save, then spend another $2,000."

Bungalow owners like Wojciechowska can go slowly on their improvements and still take advantage of the grants and incentives that are available to them, the HCBA said.

The pattern drawings will be available at the HCBA's Bungalow Expo. For more information on how to purchase the drawings, call 311 or call the HCBA at (312) 642-9900. Information also is available at www.chicagobungalow.org. The drawings also can be found at City Hall or satellite offices of the city's Department of Construction and Permits.

Sally Duros is a local free-lance writer.