Tour of 12 Energy-Smart, Solar-Savvy Homes and Businesses Includes A Net Zero Home and Solar PV That Powers Local Resident’s Home and Car

(Austin, TX – June 4, 2010) – Austin residents are invited to participate in this weekend’s Cool House Tour, part of the non-profit American Solar Energy Society’s (ASES’) 15^th Annual National Solar Tour, the world’s largest grassroots solar event.  Last year, 150,000 people in 49 states and Puerto Rico participated. 

The Austin self-guided tour showcases 12 stunning energy efficient homes that are bringing their owners ample economic and environmental rewards.  The Austin tour – co-sponsored by the Texas Solar Energy Society and Austin Energy Green Building – runs Sunday, June 6, 2010 from 10 am to 6 pm. It is one of hundreds of tours sponsored by grassroots organizations and solar installers throughout the country that afford participants the direct perspectives of businesses, home owners and installers about the costs, processes and benefits of going solar.

Find the guidebook highlighting the money-saving, energy-efficient features of these Austin-area homes at http://www.buildtexasmedia.com/txses/cool_house_tour_book_2010.htm.  Or check them out and purchase tickets for the tour for a $15 donation at Austin Central Markets.

“While it has long been our goal to find the most interesting and educational of homes for our tour, this year we have reached a new pinnacle: we have a net zero energy home among our mix of affordable houses, remodels, middle and high end new construction. All of them come with their own unique story. We encourage people to read up on them and determine which they’d like to tour,” said Texas Solar Energy Society Executive Assistant Lucy Stolzenburg.

Across the U.S., the National Solar Tour collectively features open house tours of thousands of solar-powered homes, businesses and public agencies across America to introduce the solar technologies citizens are using to 1) slash monthly energy bills, 2) reduce harmful carbon emissions, 3) assert their energy independence and 4) enjoy rich tax credits and cash incentives as they improve their property values.  The bulk of the tours take place on or about October 2, 2010, depending on weather. Some are scheduled earlier to avoid conflicts with perennial local events.  The tours also give Americans a glimpse at how a variety of solar systems look in and around structures with different architectural styles.  Featured are solar-powered homes, farms, public agencies, condo complexes and solar powered businesses that run the gamut from donut shops to ceramic shops and funeral homes.

The energy-savvy folks in oil-rich Alaska and Texas are among the first to hold tours this year.  They understand the national security implications of enhancing our domestic energy portfolio.  Alaska’s tour takes place earlier than the majority of open houses due to unpredictable weather.  Austin’s annual Cool House Tour is also among the nation’s first to ‘show their solar’ as part of this inspirational national effort.

Studies show that for every $1 property owners invest in energy efficiency, they save $3 to $5 on the final cost of a solar energy solution.  It’s the fastest and easiest way to reduce energy bills and shrink one’s carbon footprint.   “We have a common-sense saying here in Texas that energy you don’t use is energy you don’t have to pay for,” observed the Texas Solar Energy Society’s Stolzenburg.

Texas is also planning tours in Lufkin, San Antonio, Houston, El Paso and North Texas.    Learn more at www.nationalsolartour.org.

“With enticing federal tax credits, billions of dollars in grants and loans, state-funded cash rebates and a groundswell of consumer support for sustainable solutions that promote energy independence, the economics of solar have never been more compelling -- for businesses, public agencies, consumers or entrepreneurs,” said four year National Solar Tour sponsor Jyl Safier, Marketing Director for the global solar energy experts at Conergy.

“Technologies have improved, solar module prices have dropped and credit markets have loosened to the point where folks are eager to explore their solar energy options. Today, solar energy is not just good for the environment, it’s a job-creating, business-building, revenue-generating revolution whose time has come,” added Safier.

Businesses and home owners can learn more about incentives and rebates in all fifty states through the national Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE USA) at www.dsireusa.org.

ASES coordinates the activities of all tour organizers via monthly conference calls and an interactive Web site where groups can register a tour or volunteer to help.  ASES also produces posters, promotional materials and an evergreen “Get Started” guide to help tour hosts promote their tours -- and tour visitors initiate their own solar solutions. Solar-(em)powered home owners and businesses can learn how to participate at www.nationalsolartour.org.

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ABOUT THE AMERICAN SOLAR ENERGY SOCIETY:  Established in 1954, the nonprofit American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is the nation’s leading association of solar professionals and grassroots advocates. Supported by more than 12,000 members, ASES advances research, education, and policy. ASES publishes the award-winning SOLAR TODAY magazine, presents the National Solar Conference, rallies citizens to build a Solar Nation, and leads the National Solar Tour – the world’s largest grassroots solar event.  www.ases.org.