CHICAGO — As part of its 75th Anniversary year, Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry built a 3-story, fully functional modular and sustainable "green" home in its own backyard. The home showcases ideas and products that allow people to make their lives more eco-friendly in the 21st century.

Permaloc Corporation, manufacturer of sustainable, aluminum landscape edging products, contributed the edge restraint for the driveway and walkways for the Smart Home: Green + Wired exhibit. More than 1200 linear feet of edging was used to create the driveway and walkways for the home.

The driveway and many walkways were constructed using a permeable paver that allows for water to drain through the material, reducing storm water runoff. Additional walkways were built using a crushed, decomposed granite that also allows for slow water runoff.  Permaloc's edge restraint is designed to prevent movement of these materials and sustain the design for the lifetime of the project.

"At Permaloc, we take great care to design products that support the 'sustainable' standard the green building industry has established for the 21st century.  We manufacture quality products that will stand the test of time in a building project, and we make them using recycled content that is 100% recyclable.  Our products were a perfect fit for the Smart Home," states Bob Anderson, Vice President of Permaloc.

The museum exhibit will offer guests guided tours of the 2,500 sq,-ft. home and grounds, located in a park on the east side of the Museum. Within the home, guests will be able to view the latest innovations in reusable resources, smart energy consumption, and clean, healthy-living environments in a contemporary setting.

The idea for the exhibit came about during a brainstorming session as museum staff members considered an attraction from 75 years ago called “Homes of Tomorrow.”

"We thought how amazing would it be to build a fully functioning home on the museum property that honors the past but is forward-looking with green and smart technologies," said Anne Rashford, director of temporary exhibits.

The Smart Home requires an additional timed-entry ticket, which is $10 for adults and senior citizens and $5 for children 3 to 11 years old.  For more information, go to msichicago.org.

An accompanying 36-page exhibit guide describes all of the products used in the home and why they were chosen. There is also a glossary of green terms and information about the landscaping.