After a few years of being a strictly online event, the popular Marin County Green Home Tour is back to an in-person experience. The free event, which showcases environmentally conscious home upgrades and appliances, is set for 11 AM to 3 PM on Saturday, September 27, at homes across Marin County.
The Bay Area nonprofit Acterra is working with the County of Marin’s Sustainability Team to promote the tour, which is free to those who register online by 10 AM Saturday, September 27. Registered participants will be notified about the locations of the homes along with information on the electric appliances and sustainable upgrades featured at each location by Tuesday, September 16. Those registering after that date will automatically receive that information.
Many Marin residents pondering home improvements are looking to reduce not only their ongoing expenses but also their carbon footprints. However, those considering such upgrades sometimes have questions or concerns that hold them back. The Sustainability Team, part of the Community Development Agency (CDA), supports healthy, safe, and sustainable communities through programs about renewable energy, green building, the implementation of energy efficient products.
“We’re excited that the tour will be in person this year, giving our community the chance to step inside local homes and get those answers from firsthand experience,” said CDA Director Sarah Jones. “Our goal is to inspire conversations between neighbors about the steps we can take to move away from fossil fuels and toward sustainable, resilient homes.”
Tour participants explore technology in real homes that showcase components of clean energy, water conservation, and climate resiliency. The tours include major remodels, gradual retrofits, and low-cost, low-tech “do-it-yourself” solutions for both homeowners and landlords/renters. Experts will be on hand to speak about heat pumps, induction stoves, solar and battery systems, graywater systems, rainwater harvesting, and recirculation pumps. They will also share information about rebates and other financial incentives for those installing climate-friendly home improvements.
According to the County Sustainability Team, Marin’s buildings are responsible for about one-third of local greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable adaptations to homes and other buildings result in cleaner air, healthier conditions, improved comfort, and smaller energy bills. Acterra, based in Palo Alto, traces its roots to 1970. It creates local solutions for a healthy planet in the face of daunting environmental challenges.
The Marin Green Home Tour was held online for the last three years. Last year, over 250 people logged in to the tour, and several hundred more viewed the video recordings afterward (they remain on the Marin Green Home Tour webpage).
Sponsors of the tour include Marin Water, MCE, and Resilient Neighborhoods. Acterra is looking for volunteers to help with registration check-in, support of tour hosts, sharing resources, and public education on electrification products. Contact Acterra to help.
Stay connected with the County’s Sustainability Team via on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, the event webpage for workshops and community events and the quarterly newsletter. Contact the office via email with questions on our programs or to request more information.