by BRITTANY PENLAND
News Reporter

“Going green” solutions will be explored with the High Country green building and solar tour held Oct. 11.

The tour will showcase energy efficient and “green” homes and locations in the Town of Boone area.

“We are going to have a lot of student involvement this year and since you will see more than just homes on the tour, you will learn about energy efficiency, energy saving and sustainable ways to build a home,” Project Manager of Appalachian State University Energy Center, Brent J. Summerville said.

The Raley photovoltaic array will be one feature of the High Country green building and solar tour Oct. 11. The tour will focus on green buildings and energy efficiency at Appalachian State University. Photo Special to The Appalachian

He said this is the 14th annual tour in Boone.

An estimated 40 people are expected to attend this year’s green building and solar tour.

“The main goal of the tour is [to show] a lot of people looking for ideas on how to build energy efficient homes, evidence of the green energy homes in the area,” Summerville said.

Participants will be able to talk to homeowners, designers and architects about energy efficient technologies available, Project Coordinator of

Appalachian Regional Initiative for Sustainable Energy (ASU REI), Nikki Rezvani said.

The green building and solar tour is a nationally organized tour sponsored by the American Solar Energy Society, which breaks down into statewide tours that work with communities.

Michael J. Uchal is the president for the Appalachian State University Sustainable Energy Society (ASUSES).

“A lot of people from out of town who have second homes in the area or are currently building attend the tour because they see a lot of these houses are more carbon neutral and they want to work toward energy sufficiency,” Uchal said.

Rezvani said the tour began as a solar tour to promote solar energy, however, over the years it developed into a green building tour as it became more mainstream.

This year’s event is sponsored by the Appalachian REI for Sustainable Energy, the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA), the American Solar Energy Society and ASUSES.

“It’s a great opportunity, it’s inexpensive, [and it is] the same knowledge that you could get at a week-long workshop, you are getting for pennies [information] from experts in the field who teach these courses year-round,” Rezvani said.

Tickets for tour admission will be $15 for members of NCSEA, students and teachers.

Costs for community members will be $25 and those who are under the age of 16 will be admitted free of charge.

The tour will begin with breakfast at 8 a.m. at the Watauga County Agricultural Conference Center, and all attending will be shuttled by van to various site locations along the tour.

To purchase tickets, go online at energync.org/solartour.

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