Open house at state's green buildings set for Oct. 6
More and more people are recognizing the harmful effects of global climate change and the need for all of us to help reduce carbon emissions.

The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) invites the public to visit local green buildings across New Jersey to talk with energy-saving experts during the 2007 Green Buildings Open House on Oct. 6.

The Open House, part of the American Solar Energy Society's National Solar Tour, is an opportunity to learn first-hand how incorporating green elements can help reduce heating costs, increase energy conservation, and even generate surplus clean energy.

Private homes, businesses, public buildings, and renewable energy installations throughout New Jersey will open their doors and welcome the public to tour, ask questions, and discover the ways people are conserving energy, saving money, and protecting the environment.

The Green Buildings Open House, sponsored by GroSolar, KeySpan, and NRG Systems, will be held in all six New England States, plus New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Last year, thousands of people toured over 400 energy-efficient buildings from Pennsylvania to Maine to experience the variety of ways presently being used to conserve energy, save money on energy bills and help reduce the carbon footprint of their homes or other buildings.

A complete list of Green Buildings Open House sites and events is available at www.nesea.org/buildings/openhouse.

Use the list of Open Houses in your area to plan a visit or design your own tour of several local Green Buildings.

David Barclay, executive director of NESEA, urges members of the public to visit a local site during the Green Buildings Open House Oct. 6.

"It is an easy way to learn from people who are living and working happily and comfortably with their green, energy-efficient choices," he said.

Examples of green features that are used in homes and buildings that will be open during the event include: passive solar heating, solar hot water collection and storage, radiant floor heating, generation of electricity using photovoltaics (solar panels) or wind, energy-saving appliances and techniques, use of sustainable and healthy building materials and the use of water-saving fixtures.

To improve indoor air quality, green building materials that address allergy/ asthma-sensitive people include paints, insulation and carpeting. Also demonstrated is the use of local, sustainable harvested wood products. Visitors may also learn about how they can support the expanded development of renewable energy by purchasing clean renewable energy through their utility company or a green electricity provider.

The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) is the Northeast's leading organization of professionals working in sustainable energy, whole systems thinking and green technologies. For more information, visit www.nesea.org or call (413) 774-6051.