Solar Homes Tour: The Road to Net-Zero Energy

Acterra and SunWork are sponsoring a free event Saturday between 11:30 am and 5 pm to instruct people on how solar energy and other innovations can be used to reduce home energy use.

The day starts at 11:30 am with a one-hour information session at the Girl Scout House in Rinconada Park, Palo Alto. You will receive a map for the tour.

 The Girl Scout House is located just off Middlefield Road, behind the Lucie Stern (Children's) Theater near Embarcadero.

The info session will review what a ”œnet zero home” means as well as how solar electric (photovoltaic) systems work, the financial and environmental benefits, and how to pursue a project for your own home.

Learn about the City of Palo Alto's PV rebate program and how to take advantage of Federal solar tax credits. To maximize your benefits from the session, participants are encouraged to bring your average monthly cost kilowatt-hour usage to the workshop.

At 1 pm, you are invited to take a self-guided tour of five local homes, including a net-zero energy house and a passive home. At each house, you can speak to the owners about the various methods they use to reduce their energy bills. In addition, there will be many EV and plug-in vehicles to review.

Free copies of the Solar Energy Resource Guide will be available as well (quantities limited).

Please consider bringing a bag lunch to enjoy in the park before leaving on your tour.
 
In 2020, a California law will go into effect requiring all new residential construction in California to be net-zero energy. Those considering a new house could benefit from learning about energy efficiency technologies to help achieve that goal.

This tour is part of the American Solar Energy Society's National Solar Tour and co-sponsored by City of Palo Alto Utilities and the Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter.

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