A glimpse of the green life

Between concern for the environment and high energy bills, it seems more and more people are looking at making their homes more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. More people are searching for the government’s Energy Star label when buying new appliances, such as washing machines, and stores are opening that sell only green products for homeowners ranging from energy-efficient lighting and nontoxic paint to wall coverings made of sustainable materials.

With that in mind, people interested in learning how to save energy and money at home may want to check out the Green Building Open House from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow.

The Open House is part of the American Solar Energy Society’s National Solar Tour and it offers people a chance to see how clean energy and green building practices work in real homes and businesses. Homeowners and property managers will be available on the sites to explain how things work, answer questions, and provide tips. (For instance, did you know older showerheads use 5 gallons of water per minute, while new government guidelines call for the use of showerheads that use only 2.5 gallons per minute? For a family with members who shower every day, changing showerheads can literally save tens of thousands of gallons of water annually.)

Properties around New England are participating in tomorrow’s Open House, ranging from a Colonial home in Watertown with a photovoltaic system to the Clay Center for Science and Technology in Brookline, which has both solar panels and a wind turbine.

And for real estate aficionados, the tour may serve a dual purpose. At least one of the properties is also for sale. Joanne Rhodes and her husband are participating in the Open House, but they’re also trying to sell their
solar-heated Gambrel, which is located about 90 minutes from Boston in Sharon, N.H. They have owned the home for 22 years, but now that they are empty-nesters they are ready to sell the three-bedroom house, which includes a three-story greenhouse that collects heat that is then circulated by four 20-inch fans in the attic. In the winter, the heat is stored in a bed of crushed stone beneath the lowest level, Rhodes said. It can cost less to heat their home for a year than it does to fill a home-heating oil tank just once. (By the way, the Rhodes asking price is $388,126. If you want additional info, you can e-mail Joanne Rhodes at joannechowrhodes@yahoo.com.)

Anyway, if you’re interested in learning more about the ins-and-outs of owning a green home, want tips on making your home more energy efficient, or are just looking for something to do on Saturday it may be worth your while to check out the Open House. To look for properties near you, just visit the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association’s website.

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