(Chelsea Update would like to thank Cary Church for the information in this story.)
The American Solar Energy Society’s (ASES) National Solar Home Tour is the world’s largest grassroots solar event and the Chelsea community will be part of it on Saturday, Oct. 4.
Now in its 17th year, this event offers you the opportunity to tour innovative green homes and buildings to see how you can use solar energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainable technologies to reduce monthly utility bills, help protect our environment, and rely on energy that is continually renewed from the sun’s output.
More than 160,000 participants will visit some 5,500 buildings in 3,200 communities across the U.S.
The Chelsea Area Tour will be on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Participants will begin the tour at the Chelsea District Library, 221 S. Main St. They will sign in, get a name tag (your ticket) and map to the sites.
All sites on this self-paced tour are within a 15-minute drive. And, there will be free giveaways for people who sign in early at the library that day. There will also be discounts at Jet’s Pizza.
There is no cost for the tour which is sponsored by Transition Town Chelsea and Chelsea District Library.
This year’s tour includes:
- A home with a solar system in the city of Chelsea
- A variety of solar system houses close to town
- A “Passive House” under construction- a home using energy generated within the home, such as heat generated from a compost system, requiring little or no outside sources
- The Trumpey family’s Straw Bale House using different green technologies
- Information on Community Solar – a chance for people to participate in making a cleaner environment and receive a financial dividend from the value of energy produced while not having to buy your own complete solar system. There will be more details about this when people sign in at the library the day of the tour.
Free estimates available for people interested in installing solar on their residence.
After the tour, at about 4:30, participants can meet at Jet’s Pizza for casual dinner and conversation.
Additional information on the tour can be obtained by contacting Cary Church, [email protected] or Pat Kaminsky, [email protected].
