Home tour showcases solar, green technology Home tour showcases solar, green technology (September 22, 2004)

Seven private homes in San Mateo County -- including homes in Woodside and Menlo Park -- that use solar energy and other environmentally friendly building features will be open to the public between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, October 2.

The annual Solar and Green Home Tour is sponsored by San Mateo County RecycleWorks in partnership with the Northern California Solar Energy Association.

Participants will have a chance to view and ask questions about photovoltaic systems, solar hot water and pool-heating methods, and examples of sustainable design and green building practices. Homeowners as well as experts will be on hand to answer questions.

Participants in the do-it-yourself tour meet at Lunardi's Market, 1085 Alameda de las Pulgas in Belmont, pick up the tour guidebook and decide which homes they want to view. Pre-registration costs $10 per car of tour-goers; same-day registration is $15 per car.

"Renewable energy allows us to create clean electricity right here in our community," says Jerry Hill, a San Mateo County supervisor. "This makes us less dependent on the utility grid, and makes it less likely that we'll have to build more expensive and polluting power plants."

Information about the tour is available by calling 888-442-2666, or online at www.recycleworks.org.

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