With a grand opening on Earth Day, a new home under construction in Illinois will be a showcase of modern high-performance building practices.

Built by DJK Custom Homes in Naperville, Ill., the Eco-Smart Home will demonstrate that sustainable, healthy, and efficient living is possible in a home that is aesthetically appealing and functional. The home will be open for tours on April 22 and will serve as a model home after that, says Mat Borej, DJK Custom Homes marketing manager.

Its distinctive design aesthetic will resemble a modern-day farmhouse and include state-of-the-art green building certifications including LEED-Platinum, Energy Star, and EPA Indoor airPlus. The 3,045 square-foot, three-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom home was constructed on a nature preserve-like, two-acre site as a model for environmentally friendly building, with core focuses on IAQ and energy, water and resource efficiency.

The home will utilize many advanced green building techniques, practices, and products to achieve net-zero status. A video shot during the framing stages illustrates many of the features that contribute to the home’s energy efficiency. Other features of the home include:

--VELUX solar-powered fresh air skylights in the central area of the home address lighting needs and indoor air quality issues by passively venting stale indoor air out of the home and replacing it with fresh air from the outdoors to provide healthy indoor air quality.

--Sun Tunnel tubular skylights provide additional daylight in bathrooms and laundry room. The solar-powered skylights are fitted with solar-powered blinds for additional energy efficiency and light control. Both the skylights and blinds are eligible for a 30 percent federal tax credit.

--CertainTeed AirRenew drywall helps to optimize indoor air quality by capturing formaldehyde from indoor air and converting the chemicals into inert compounds that remain permanently trapped safely within the board.

--Solar panels

--Tankless water heater

--Triple-glazed windows

--Energy Star appliances, heat pump, and gas furnace