22nd Annual D.C. Solar Tour Kicks Off Oct. 6

Homeowners who are considering solar panels for their homes in Maryland, D.C. or Virginia can see first-hand what a residential solar system looks like Oct. 6-7 at the 2012 D.C. Solar Tour.

Now in its 22nd year, the Washington D.C. stop of the National Solar Tour offers green enthusiasts a rare glimpse into over 70 green homes in the Metro D.C. region. These homes will be open to the public for two days and showcase a variety of environmentally friendly products and practices.

Attendees can see and learn about everything from eco-friendly building materials to sustainable living concepts, composting systems, organic gardens, eco-friendly appliances, solar hot water, photovoltaic systems, and much more.

D.C. Solar Tour Event Details

The 2012 D.C. Solar Tour takes place October 6-7 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guides can be purchased for $5 at local distributors or downloaded for free at http://solartour.org/download.html. These guides serve as an admission ticket to the homes and provide a list of the locations and features of each stop on the tour. In addition, guides contain information on the latest in green technologies and practices, as well as information on affordable ways to go green, like solar leasing.

The National Solar Tour features more than 5,500 buildings in 3,200 communities across the United States, making it the largest grassroots solar event in the world. The tour is organized by the American Solar Energy Society, an association of solar professionals and advocates working to promote energy innovation and speed the transition to a sustainable energy economy.

Visit the D.C. Solar Tour website for a complete list of where to purchase tour tickets.

Featured Home: Solar Living on Display in Northern Virginia

The featured home of this year’s D.C. Solar Tour is located in Arlington, VA and showcases a variety of green products and practices, including a 2.7 kW PV grid-tied net metering system, rain barrels, and a 160-gallon solar hot water heater. The home also features low-e Anderson Renewal windows, low-flow toilets, and a high-efficiency Carrier A/C unit, which is connected to the home’s zoned HVAC system. Its green design extends to the outdoors, where the homeowners maintain an organic, composted vegetable garden.

For those not in the Washington D.C. area, there is the 3rd Annual Western Maryland Solar Tour, which will offer access to a number of green homes and farms throughout Washington and Frederick Counties, as well as homes in West Virginia.

For questions and information regarding the D.C. solar tour, please contact Charlie Garlow at cgarlow@solartour.org. For the Western Maryland Tour, please contact Rich Maranto at rich@ram-digital.com.

About the Author: Ryan McNeill is CEO of Renewable Energy Corporation, a Maryland solar energy company, ASES member and Maryland Green Registry company. Renewable Energy Corporation is proud to partner with SolarWorld, recently voted The World’s Greenest Solar Manufacturer, to provide American-made solar panels to Maryland, D.C. and Virginia homeowners.