Green home resources Green home resources (September 22, 2004)

San Mateo County's RecycleWorks program serves as something of a clearinghouse for resources and information on recycling, sustainable building practices and materials, and incentive programs and rebates for energy-efficient appliances and solar energy (photovoltaic) systems.

It also offers a green building e-mail list with periodic alerts about tours, lecture series and other news. Call 1-888-442-2666 or go to Recycleworks.org. For a link to the e-mail list, click on "Green Building."

The San Mateo Countywide Sustainable Buildings Guide is a booklet that's the result of two years of work by a county-wide committee seeking to encourage builders, architects and owners to design and construct buildings that are friendly to the environment and community.

The guide is available at most permitting and planning departments in the county, and can be downloaded from RecycleWorks' Web site. It lists 75 practices that can be incorporated into buildings to make them green.

The Green Resource Center's Ask an Expert program provides answers to questions about green building practices and technology free to Bay Area residents and businesses. Questions can be submitted online at greenresourcecenter.org or by calling 1-888-404-7336.

Hidden Villa in Los Altos Hills offers sustainable building tours at 3:30 p.m. on the second Sunday of the month, September through May. Tours cost $10 per person, and feature straw-bale and rammed-earth construction, photovoltaic and solar hot water, reused materials, and passive solar design. For information, call 949-8653 or visit hiddenvilla.org.

Rebuilding Together Peninsula in Menlo Park accepts donations of some construction materials, appliances and household fixtures that are in good condition, to be used for home rehabilitation projects benefiting elderly, disabled and low-income residents. Call 366-6597 or e-mail info@rebuildingtogetherpeninsula.org to set up a delivery appointment or for evaluation of prospective donations.

The California Energy Commission offers rebates for solar power installations. Information on rebates and tax credits is available at consumerenergycenter.org.

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