Washington DC Solar Tour of Homes

[Guest Steve Gorman]

2010 Solar Tour Highlights Over 80 Solar-Powered Homes

 

The 20th Annual Washington, D.C., Tour of Solar Homes & Buildings will display over 80 solar-powered homes in areas throughout central Maryland and Baltimore City, to Washington, D.C., and its suburbs as well as Northern Virginia. The tour will be Saturday, Oct. 2, and Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Most homes will be limited to only Saturday or Sunday. The event will highlight a variety of design, technology and sustainable living concepts. Homes and buildings on the tour contain a mixture of solar passive and solar-powered designs, including:

 

 

· Photovoltaic (pv) systems

 

· Solar hot water systems

 

· Radiant heat

 

· Energy-efficient appliances

 

· Energy-saving building construction techniques

 

 

Many homeowners also practice energy and water conservation measures, recycle and compost, and drive fuel-efficient or alternative energy vehicles. Additional homes will be open in the tour within a tour, the Takoma Park Green Homes Tour, Sunday, Oct. 3, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Also, a self-guided bike tour is planned for some homes in Frederick and Washington Counties.

 

 

The Tour Guide is available for a tax-deductible $5 at REI and other participating outlets or can be downloaded free starting Sept. 13 from http://solartour.org. The Tour Guide is both a map and "passport" for admission to the sites and contains directions to each home.