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For most people purchasing a home will be the single largest investment they make in their lifetime. Home ownership provides stability, freedom and a sense of pride.

Can you imagine the sense of pride that comes with owning a home that uses 50-80% less energy than conventional homes, has a reduced carbon footprint and even recycles rainwater? A home that promotes healthier living, cleaner air and leverages today’s technology to save money and resources. This green home of the future is known as the SmartHaus

What is the SmartHaus

The SmartHaus concept is simple: Quality design and construction incorporating state of the art technology, environmentally responsible choices, low maintenance and minimum energy usage. Driven by a passion for planet Earth and a desire to lessen man’s impact on the environment, SmartHaus represents the next step in the art of environmentally sensitive architecture. The homes will be constructed efficiently, economically as a healthy and green alternative designed to fit on a typical city lot. We hope that the SmartHaus program will appeal to many, illuminate some and encourage others to follow.

SmartHaus Benefits

The SmartHaus was designed to leverage technology and nature to its advantage.

The SmartHaus:

  • Uses about 50-80% less energy than a conventional home.
  • Costs about the same as conventional home.
  • Fits in small residential lots.
  • Is laid out to take advantage of both passive and active solar energy.
  • Reduces energy bills.
  • Has a lower carbon footprint than traditional homes.


SmartHaus Certifications

This green home has been reviewed by the US Green Building Council and has been given a preliminary Platinum rating, the highest rating given for home built to energy efficient and environmentally responsible standards and are rated for health, comfort and durability by a rigorous review process.


Michael Kollman | Architect | LEED® AP


Architect, Construction Manager, Educator

The idea to develop this philosophy into practice is the culmination of over thirty years of research and development by award winning architect Michael Kollman. Michael is an architect, master builder, advocate and educator for smarter ways to design, build and live. He is passionate about his work to make thoughtful, sustainable design affordable for everyone. With his firm, Wexler/Kollman P.C., Ltd., he specializes in sustainable design including single family homes, historic restoration and commercial projects of all types and size. He is also a consultant for builders, owner/developers and municipalities on sustainability, historic preservation and the development process.

SmartHaus emerged out of this passion to create inspiring, thoughtful and affordable sustainable design at a level that makes it available to anyone who is interested. SmartHaus projects are designed to maximize energy efficiency through a highly efficient building envelope, efficient HVAC, fixtures and appliances, and energy monitoring systems that give transparency to you on how much energy you are using. Incorporating energy efficiency improvements and sustainable choices in your remodeling projects can easily save 30% of your yearly energy use and make your living space healthier and more comfortable.

Working to help extend education and awareness about the advantages of sustainable design and construction is something that Michael has devoted much of his life’s ambition towards. Michael received his undergraduate degree from The University of New Mexico where he studied with Edward Mazria, founder of Architecture2030, as well as many other innovators in the field of sustainable design. He has been a lecturer and keynote speaker for numerous events, and teaches Green Building Design and Construction at the College of Lake County, in Grayslake, Illinois. He is also actively involved with historic preservation and Chairs the Historic Preservation Committee for the Village of Libertyville, Illinois.

Michael has been featured on in numerous books and magazines including Fine Homebuilding, Solar Age, Better Homes and Gardens and Kitchen and Bath Design. Michael and his wife Robin, live in a restored turn of the century home in Libertyville, Illinois with their 2 children.