NHSEA 2009 Green Building Open House Properties

[Yosemite Sam]

Today, Saturday, October 3rd, over 80 homeowners and small businesses in New Hampshire will open their doors to the public and give tours that highlight the energy savings, and energy generating, designs and technologies that make their homes "green".

Go to this website for information about where the homes are located.NHSEA Website (http://www.nhsea.org/)

There is a good article in the today's Laconia Daily Sun about a home that Steven Reddy built in Meredith that has a geothermal home heating system.
Here is today's LDS paper (http://www.laconiadailysun.com/LaconiaPDF/2009/10/3L.pdf)

[KTO]

I visited a house in Sanbornton today. It was very cool and I learned a lot about what the owners had done. A very interesting couple to learn from as well. Well worth the visit! :)

[Dr. Green]

The "Green Building Tour" (AKA "Solar Home Tour") is an annual event to let people see how renewable and sustainable homes work. I think its a great idea. I own a solar retail store in Laconia (Sustain Ability, www.sustainabilitynh.com) and often have people come in to look at the solar electric and solar hot water panels. I see them walk up to the panels and touch them, and often they tell me they have been interested in solar energy for years, but have never seen the panels close up.

I know several of the homes on the tour in Sanbornton had 30+ visitors, even though it was raining most of the day. I was unable to be at one, as I was involved with an "Energy Raiser" in Tilton, helping someone install a solar hot water system for free (see www.larella.org/other.php for info on energy raisers) We have another one happening in Gilford on October 17th.

While solar electricity and solar hot water are already (with the help of government rebates) cost-competitive with electricity from the power company or oil heat, an Energy Raiser saves the homeowner another $3-5,000 in installation costs, making the payback even shorter.

If you are interested in solar an missed the Solar Tour (Green Building Tour), there are a variety of options for you to see solar up-close-and-personal. Come to the Energy Raiser on the 17th. Go to Autumn Open House at Snow Dragon Mountain Farm in Meredith on October 17th (http://www.onesoul.us) and visit a completely off-grid solar farm. Or if you can't wait til next fall's Solar Tour, I can arrange to have one of the homeowners of an installation we have done show you around. Most solar homeowners are happy to show others how their system operates, because they feel (correctly, in my opinion) that we need to have many more people convert to solar power to help the environment, and to reduce our energy costs. I am also available at my store to explain how solar electricity, solar hot water, and solar air heating work, and show and explain for you how the equipment works. As anyone who has come in and asked knows, I love explaining the benefits of solar

I got into this business because I was (and am) worried about the impact of our unsustainable, oil-based way of life on the environment, and on our economy. I will say that becoming familiar with renewable energy gives me hope that we can turn things around and live well on this beautiful earth without destroying it... but like most climate scientists, I believe we need to act NOW before it is too late. The government is finally providing substantial rebates (up to 65%!!!) that make solar power and solar hot water cheaper than the other sources of light and heat that use carbon (coal, oil, etc.).

[BroadHopper]

I would love to go solar or geothermal. Problem is that the condo association is reluctant to change the condo rules to go green. i.e. no changes to the outside of the structures. That includes solar panels on the roof and or heat pumps on the outside.

There is a company in Brighton Mass, that convince me that I can go geothermal with a condensed heat pump on an inside wall. They can drill the well without a protusion from the ground. It is pretty slick but the price is in the stratosphere. Even with a rebate from National Grid and the feds.

[trfour]

Powerhouse Solar Shingle, courtesy DOW.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/green/?p=7711