NC Triangle’s Green Home Tour

Posted on May 1, 2008 by Joyce Benson
Tag(s): Events, Green Building

This weekend you can take a self-guided tour of 40 green homes in the Triangle area of North Carolina. Not only are these homes beautiful, but they incorporate sustainable features.

It’s encouraging to see so many builders embrace high performance green building. Not only does it have less of an impact on the environment, but also on homeowner’s wallets, since green homes are designed to have lower utility bills than their conventional counterparts.

Green features you’ll see on this tour include: enhanced energy efficiencies, renewable energy solutions, locally-sourced building materials, non-toxic finishes, rainwater collection systems, drought-tolerant landscaping, water conserving fixtures, passive solar strategies, optimum use of daylighting, Energy Star features, and improved indoor air quality.

If you’re not in the area, you can still take a peek at each house on the tour. The website for the Home Builders Association of Durham, Orange and Chatham counties allows viewers to see pictures and profiles of each home on the tour. Maps and directions are also included for those who are lucky enough to take the tour.

A free, educational event, ‘Learn What It Means To Be Green’, takes place on Saturday from 9am to noon at the NC Biotechnology Center in RTP. Homes on the tour will be open from 10am to 6pm on Saturday, and from noon to 6pm on Sunday. Click here for more information.