Location

        Non-profit group SEEDS (Sustainable Energy Education & Development Support) is hosting a bus tour of buildings in Northeast Pa that have used renewable energy, high efficiency, and other conservation measures to save money and resources. From 8 AM to 5 PM.  Sign up as soon as possible as there is limited space.  We will visit both private homes and public buildings.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:

·        Western Wayne School District’s new school in Hamlin, described as the state’s first full-green elementary school, one of whose features is a sewage treatment system that utilizes the cleaning power of wetlands.

·        Several residences that feature various efficiency and renewable energy strategies such as passive and active solar, super-insulation and air-sealed envelopes, salvaged materials, geothermal heating and cooling, smart water management, and measures to improve indoor air quality. One house is a beautifully remodeled modular. Another has a solar-vented geodesic dome greenhouse.

·        Marywood University School of Architecture building, renovated as a LEED Gold-certified structure and designed to teach students about principles of sustainable design. It also has a green roof which will be included in the visit. LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized certification system for green building construction.

·        A high performance building housing an Animal Hospital, designed by architects Bakker & Lewis, built on a “brownfield” site--formerly a spoil area for construction debris. Among its many innovations are smart storm water management, natural lighting, and energy recovery units.