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National Solar Home Tour 10/6/2007

For anyone who is considering solar for their home as well as many other "green" housing principles and products, this is an event you can not miss. To my knowledge the event functions like any other open house tour. Simply pick out the homes you'd like to visit and be there within the given time frame.

http://www.ases.org/tour (Official web-site)

The ASES National Solar Tour is the largest tour of sustainable energy features for buildings in the U.S. Now in its 12th year, some 100,000 people across the nation will see how neighbors are using clean sources of energy to save on energy bills and protect the environment. Through a series of open-houses and informative tours participants learn about renewable energy options, energy efficient design, real-world costs, current rebates available, and other valuable insights.

Homeowners participating in Orange County, CA tour:

Placentia Butch Pash 10-2
624 Carnation Dr. Placentia
Solectria EV Native plants, featured in Register story

Seal Beach Lisa and Doug Korthof Hm: 562-430-2495 cell: 714-496- 1567 10-2
1020 Mar Vista 4.5kW
Battery Backup to last 2 days, Two All-electric RAV4-EV plug-in cars, Domestic Time-of-Use pricing.
MarVista is the same as 5th St. in Seal Beach, turn left from PCH away from the Ocean.

Seal Beach Robert Zmuda 10-2
1020 Catalina 3.2kW
S10-EV
Former Th!nk-EV lessee
Catalina is the next street parallel to MarVista, to the West

Huntington Harbour Linda and Howard Nicholes-Stein 10-4
3541 Sagamore Dr. Huntington Harbour, HB
Two all-electric plug-in RAV4-EV "Electra" and "Electron", plus Prius "Heidi the Hybrid". Featured in the "Dont' Crush" campaign to save fleet-lease RAV4-EV from the crusher, and featured in docu-drama "Who Killed the Electric Car". Two solar homes.
From Edinger and Bolsa Chica, proceed West on Edinger to Trinidad, Turn left over the bridge, turn right when Trinidad dead-ends and right again at the first street.

Huntington Beach John Fisher and Debbie Cook 10-2
6692 Shetland Circle
Angled Sharp panels follow roof contours.
Goldenwest South to Ellis, turn Right (West) Proceed to Quarterhorse, turn left (toward Ocean) Shetland is on the left

Huntington Beach John Scott family 962-1746 10-2
22032 Capistrano Lane
Environmental and civic betterment, installed their own long-time solar water, and clean air advocate. Sunpower panels.
From PCH, proceed North on Magnolia to Banning, turn Right (East or South) and another Right on Capistrano

Huntington Beach Richard Kelly family 10-2
20591 Paisley Lane
EV advocate, all-electric plug-in pickup truck
From John Scott home, proceed East (right) on Banning. Turn left (north) on Bushard. Turn Right on Erskine (becomes Iona Lane). Turn Left on Netherway, it becomes Paisley.

Corona del Mar NB Baker family
706 1/2 Begonia enter from alley behind PCH 2.7kW
Hybrid Highlander surf wagon, tankless hybrid water heating.

Orange Bob Siebert eesolar@sbcglobal.net Founder, EESolar 10-4
1308 Fairway Dr., Orange
ACP Conversion, Bob personally converted an IC car to a plug-in, all-electric conversion using ACPropulsion.com technology with Thundersky Lithium batteres. Also Prius. Long-time energy efficiency pioneer.
From 22 East FWY, exit Tustin Ave., turn left (north). First left after the FWY entrance (don't take!) is Fairway, it's easy to miss. Turn left on Fairway

Villa Park Heide Residence 10-2
18412 Hillcrest Ave.
Energy Efficient windows, proper insulation, solar water
North on 55 to Katella. Left onto Wanda, which becomes Santiago Blvd. Right onto Taft, then Left onto Center Dr.. Turn right at Hillcrest

Laguna Woods Prelitz family 10-4
3513 Calle Bahia Blanca West
Access thru gate off Calle Corta.
Give name "Prelitz" and address. 1.6 kW
Total green makeover that will be featured on Discovery Channel's "Green That House" show. Airs mid November. New insulation, Radiant barrier, solar water heating, New doors and windows with Low E3 glass, passive orientation w/ trombe wall, Non-Toxic finishes, and solar oven cookies.
From 5 FWY take El Toro Rd. South past Moulton Pkwy. Turn Right onto Calle Sonora, proceed to gate and ask directions.

San Clemente Lyn Harris Hicks 10-4
3908 Calle Ariana, Cypress Shore.
Access thru gate call 949 492 5078 2.7kW
Solar and renewable energy advocate

Evan T. Little
Realtor®
EcoBroker®
Orange County, CA
www.volklinvestmentsinc.com
CLICK HERE to Browse Orange County, CA Homes

Posted by Evan T. Little - EcoBroker® on 10/05/2007 12:46 PM

Comments (7)

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7 Comments on National Solar Home Tour 10/6/2007

OCT

2007

Evan - I'm going to bump you to the top because you need to be seen! Tomorrow is the National Solar Tour! For those that don't live near Evan he has provided a great link where you can check out what is going on in your area! Don't forget to thank the homeowner who so graciously opened their homes to the nation so we can learn more about solar power ... SOLAR is not as expensive as people think... SOLAR is a viable alternative to not only save you money but reduce your effect on the environment! Thanks Evan!

Mary - Thanks for the support Mary and your own comments.

If you miss the event, check with local installers as they often host demos for the public while installing systems for their customers.

OCT

2007

So how did the tour go? In Pueblo I think it was a bust. I was out with clients all day but passed several of the houses involved - nobody in sight. Last year I sat a model and had approx 100 people come by. The same house this year didn't have anybody around and I passed it a couple of times.

Thanks for your comment Dena.

A home in Laguna Woods, CA (leisure world, retirement community) was said to have approximately 500 visitors! It was covered by local papers, but many of the guest were leisure world residents. This home will be featured in the opening episode of "Green that house" on the Discovery Channel and I believe it airs in November. Not sure if it's national.

With a schedule of 10-2pm and taking about 30mins to get from one home to another, I was only able to visit 3 homes besides the Laguna Woods home. All three homeowners had some materials to pass out and all had both electric vehicles and solar among other things. One of the homeowners was able to obtain a Toyota RAV4 all electric vehicle before it was crushed, the vehicle is featured in, "who killed the electric car". Seeing how homeowners are using solar to power both their homes and vehicles was inspiring and frustrating that oil companies have hi-jacked electric vehicle technology and locked it away.

All and all, the quality of what I was able to see and learn was excellent, however there was only 3+ attendants at the 3 homes. Open house signs directing traffic weren't placed well, if they were present at all and there seemed to be very little communication between one open house and another.

Out of the 4 homes I saw, there were zero "green" vendors of any sort which makes absolutely no sense. It's a perfect way for a local or national solar installer to promote the cause and their business.

I'm looking forward to promoting the event next year.

It sounds as if you had mixed results on the tour. Last year I invited green vendors of all kinds to come and be apart of the event. The vendors set up their tents and tables down the driveway of the house. This made it easier to people to find and passersby wanted to stop and see what was going on. We also got the local Toyota dealership to park a car out front and we put balloons all over it. We are still learning about green and I'd bet years results will be better.

Mixed results indeed. Orange County seems to be one of the lest green-minded counties in Southern California. The vendors and car dealerships would have helped a great deal and hopefully things will improve next year.

NOV

2007

Nice to see other like minded individuals in the industry. Visit my site if you can.

http://www.greenmortgagegroup.com/

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