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Solar tour showcases sustainable structures



 Oct. 13, 2011

  Contact: Dan Aiello, 602-952-8192, J2envarch@aol.com
  Anthony Floyd, 480-312-4202, AFloyd@ScottsdaleAz.gov

 Solar tour showcases sustainable structures


A handful of sustainable buildings in Scottsdale will be part of the 2011 Valley of the Sun tour of solar and sustainable buildings, co-sponsored by the city’s Green Building program, the Arizona Solar Energy Association and the Arizona Solar Center, Inc.

The free, self-guided tour will be Oct. 22 and Oct. 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It offers the public a glimpse of how a variety of technologies and strategies are used for energy appropriate and environmentally responsible living in the Arizona desert.

Locations will showcase a variety of sustainable building designs, materials, systems and technology, including solar, rainwater harvesting, gray-water reuse, and the use of non-traditional building materials like rammed earth and straw bale construction.

Participants won’t just discover ways to reduce their utility bills and carbon footprint, they also will meet the people who created and live in these buildings who will share their knowledge and experiences on the cutting edge of sustainable living.

Projects range from new construction to re-models, residences to public buildings, from simple to complex. Some particularly noteworthy stops on the tour include:

  • A recycled materials artist's studio incorporating the largest reused resource element - a full scale Volkswagen bus as a sleeping area;
  • A passive and active solar desert house with photovoltaics that has met its comfort and power demands for over 20 years;
  • An architect's green and sustainable home designed for the desert;
  • An Urban Farm - the modification of an urban property and existing residence into an energy efficient, food producing, urban oasis of do-it-yourself sustainability.

Talks at each site will be scheduled on-the-hour with a noon-time break. Specific Tour information will be posted at the Arizona Solar Center website at www.azsolarcenter.org. 

A downloadable tour guide for both days of the event will be posted the week prior to the event and general information will be posted as it becomes available. Check the website often as content may change with the addition of sites or adjustments in availability.

For questions and additional information please contact Dan Aiello at J2envarch@aol.com or 602-952-8192.

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