The Co-op is sponsoring this year's South Sound Green Tour! The tour will feature 18 commercial and residential sites in and around Olympia. The old Schoenfeld’s building at 4th and Capitol in downtown
Olympia will serve as the Green Tour Resource Hub.
“If you have questions about anything to do with green building or renovating, odds are there will be an expert you can talk to,” says Green Tour Organizer, Chris van Daalen. “It’s easier than ever to bring sustainable ideas to life in your home. It’s all about exploring your options and finding solutions.”
Visitors will meet the builders and contractors, energy auditors and product suppliers, as well as proud owners of sustainable, energy efficient homes. It is an opportunity to learn what makes a sustainable home “green” and, more importantly, how affordable and comfortable a healthy home can be.
Featured sites this year include the new Hands On Children’s Museum in downtown Olympia, and the Bergford Home on the upper Eastside. The Hands On Children’s Museum is offering guided tours of their new building along with children’s activities. The Bergford Home is a 1925 Craftsman farmhouse currently undergoing an energy efficiency upgrade.
Visitors have the chance to speak to the owners about the decisions they made and why. A home energy auditor will also be on site for in-depth building science questions. In addition, the Green Tour will feature two “Passive Houses®” and several other superefficient and renewable energy buildings which highlight the surprising economics of saving energy. Three houses on the Tour are “under construction” providing a rare look behind the walls; at least two will have active landscape installations during the Tour.
For more information on Green Tour sites and schedules, visit SouthSoundGreenTour.org or call 360-754-6152.
