This one is for sun lovers who want to experience more than light and heat from our powerful star. From 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday, April 28, the annual Solar and Sustainability Spring Tour will visit 15 properties throughout the Valley. With a theme of “Real Buildings for Real People,” participants will be able to meet and talk with the people who are living in and using the facilities on this free self-guided tour.
Coordinated by the Arizona Solar Energy Association, the Arizona Solar Center, and the City of Scottsdale Green Building Program, the tour gives people a chance to learn from people who have taken steps to be more environmentally conscious. Attendees can see a wide range of solar applications including innovations in solar and sustainable design for private and public buildings.
Some highlights of the tour include using typical paper waste as construction material, and new residences that incorporate passive and active solar design. Tour guides can be downloaded from the tour website or picked up at one of three locations:
- Granite Reef Senior Center – 1700 N. Granite Reef Rd, Scottsdale
- Edwards Residence – 8151 E. Smokehouse Trail, Scottsdale
- Urban Farm – 6750 N. 13th Place, Phoenix
By next spring, a new development in south Scottsdale will provide another real life example of solar power use. Known as Array, the development of nine town homes is the first in the Phoenix area to be built with electric systems that have solar panels as a standard feature.
Homes in the development will have energy saving features such as passive lighting, energy efficient appliances, and floors of stained concrete or limestone that will help regulate temperatures. Solar panels will produce electricity for the 1,700-square foot homes; in the hot summer months homes will use all they can produce plus some additional from SRP. But in cooler months, enough energy will come form the solar systems to actually return power to SRP’s grid. With Arizona’s high price of energy – we rank in the top 20 nationally – that can be good news for the homeowners.
Whether you are interested in solar power for environmental or financial reasons, mark your calendar for Saturday. The Solar and Sustainability Spring Tour will provide answers and examples of how individual changes can help us all breathe easier.
