Save energy and reduce your environmental footprint: Check out the June 12 & 13 Eco Solar Virtual Home Tour

Are you curious about how to save energy and reduce your environmental footprint, including use of solar power and other sustainable energy practices?

Whether you rent or are buying, building or renovating your home, the Eco Solar Virtual tour on June 12 and 13 is your opportunity to meet 10 Calgary homeowners and learn about their choices that improve energy use, save money and even increase resilience to climate change effects such as extreme temperatures.

Eco Solar Tour organizer Andrew Mills says there has never been a more compelling time to shrink our ecological footprint while realizing the benefits of energy-efficient choices.

“Consumers are increasingly making environment-supportive choices such as solar panels, green roofs and terraces, geoexchange heat pumps, and solar hot water systems,” says Mills. “Tour participants can expect a closer look at energy-efficient ways to reduce gas, electricity and water use and can chat with homeowners discussing practicalities and costs of these choices.”

A net-zero energy (NZE) home is one that is designed and constructed to produce as much energy as it consumes on an annual basis. NZE homes are air-tight, well insulated, and energy efficient - producing renewable energy and a carbon-free home.

In addition to the tour of Calgary homes, the 2021 Eco-Solar Home tour will also feature tours in Edmonton (June 5 and 6) and Lethbridge (June 19). Participants can join virtual Zoom sessions to tour 31 homes in the three cities. The online tour link will be posted on the website each scheduled tour day at www.ecosolar.ca. Pre-registration is not necessary.

The annual Eco-Solar Home Tour is one of many organizations that partners with The City of Calgary’s annual Climate Symposium, a two-day event discussing climate change, impacts, and solutions.

The City of Calgary's Climate Program offers resources for Calgarians to learn how climate change is impacting our city and what The City is doing to prepare and respond. Calgarians can learn more about taking action to improve energy efficiency in their own homes, and how to protect their homes from the impacts of climate change at: calgary.ca/climatereadyhomes.

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