Expect to see more sustainable homes in Chicago.

Driving the news: Greenline Homes, a builder of all-electric solar abodes in Woodlawn and Bronzeville, tells Axios its houses are now getting snapped up two to three months earlier. The company has already sold its annual stock of eight houses and plans to build more next year.

• Evanston-based Kipnis Architecture + Planning, which designs homes with a low-carbon footprint, says that sustainable projects now make up about 80% of calls, up from 50% in the last two years.

What's happening: Consumers are increasingly concerned about a home's indoor air quality and other health and environmental impacts, says Brian Imus, executive director of Illinois Green Alliance, a nonprofit that promotes sustainable buildings.

What they're saying: Realtor Wayne Beals, who works with Greenline, says they’ve seen a shift in who’s buying green homes since 2015, when the firm transitioned to building all-electric houses.

• "We were really selling a house for the choir," he says. "Now we're selling houses to the masses."

Context: Nearly all homeowners and single-family renters think a home impacts health, with young people leading that thinking, per a recent report from the New Home Trends Institute at John Burns Research and Consulting.

Be smart: There are some green home incentives you can take advantage of without having to move. Imus suggests ComEd's rebates and discounts for installing energy-efficient equipment, such as smart thermostats.

What we're watching: State lawmakers' push to build more sustainable homes. A bill now with Gov. J.B. Pritzker would require new homes to offer at least one electric vehicle charging station.

Share this story

People are more willing to pay over budget for solar panels than other in-demand green home features.

• That's according to a new survey from Payless Power, a Texas-based energy company.

The big picture: 37% of people say they would pay extra for solar panels or green certification from LEED or Energy Star, per the survey.

• Those eco-friendly elements were the second most-wanted among respondents, with energy-efficient appliances and lighting nabbing the top spot.

State of play: Millennials and members of Gen Z are 27% more likely than baby boomers to buy a green home, the researchers found, with 70% of Gen Z saying they would go over budget to do so.

Zoom in: The average cost of a 10-kilowatt solar panel system in Illinois was $31,600 in 2022, per EnergySage figures cited by CNBC. (That's before the 30% federal tax credit.)

• Also, the U.S. Department of Energy has a homeowner's guide on how to take advantage of federal savings.

This sleek, solar-powered home in Bronzeville recently sold for just under $600,000.

• It's located at 4551 S. Prairie Ave. and has a sunny, open concept main floor.

Green features: A Mitsubishi heating and cooling system, a ventilation system that boosts indoor air quality, plus a rooftop solar power generation system that provides clean renewable power and lowers utility bills.

Details: The 4-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom, 2,100-square-foot house was built by Greenline Homes.

What green features have you implemented? Reply to this email and let us know.

• If you're considering some eco-friendly elements, which ones are you most interested in? Would you be willing to part with your gas stove?
• Your answer could be featured in an upcoming newsletter.