The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) invites the public to visit local sustainable homes and other buildings across the Northeast to talk with energy-saving experts during the 2009 Green Buildings Open House on Saturday, October 3.

Homeowners and facilities managers will be available to answer questions about their experiences, and offer practical insights into the decisions, planning, and benefits of "going green." Learn about and see clean electricity technologies, green building design principles, energy efficient appliances, and green building materials and products for the home.

A complete list of Green Buildings Open House sites and events is available at nesea.org. Use the list of Open Houses in your area to plan a visit or design your own tour of several local Green Buildings.

NESEA's Green Buildings 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, nature centers and public buildings will be open and the public is welcome to tour, ask questions, and discover the ways people are conserving energy, saving money, and protecting the environment.

The title sponsor for Green Buildings Open House is the Massachusetts New Homes with ENERGY STAR® Program. Green Buildings Open House also sponsored by Alteris Renewables, Efficiency Maine, a Division of the Maine Public Utilities Commission; National Grid; and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and will take place throughout New England as well as, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.

Examples of green features that are used in homes and buildings that will be open during this event include passive solar heating (advantageous placement of windows), solar hot water collection and storage, radiant floor heating, the generation of electricity by using photovoltaics (solar panels) or wind, use of energy-saving appliances and techniques (super-insulation and sealing air spaces), 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.

There are a variety of ways to reduce energy costs of a home or building. Three easy and relatively inexpensive ways are to change all light bulbs to compact fluorescent, seal air leaks to reduce drafts and turn off power strips to appliances when not in use. Available at each host site will be NESEA's Sustainable Green Pages. Listed in this publication are organizations and individuals that offer sustainable products and services in the Northeast U.S. that include quality building practices, energy services and transportation. In addition, State and Federal incentives (tax credits, grants, rebates, and discount utility rates) are available at www.dsireusa.org for renewable energy and energy-efficiency technologies. Check www.EnergyStar.gov for Federal tax-credit information on qualified appliances and products.

Green Buildings Open House media partners include CSRwire, E-The Environmental Magazine, Environmental Design + Construction, Green Builder Media, Green Living Journal, GreenRetros, High-Profile Monthly, metrogreenbusiness.org, New Jersey & Co., the New England Real Estate Journal, New York House, and Smart HomeOwner.

The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association is the Northeast's leading organization of professionals working in sustainable energy, whole systems thinking and green technologies. NESEA facilitates the widespread adoption and use of sustainable energy by providing support to industry professionals and by educating and motivating consumers to learn about, ask for and adopt sustainable energy and green building practices. NESEA accomplishes this through a number of ongoing programs and annual events including: Building Energy Conference and Trade Show, K-12 Education, the Sustainability Workshop Series, and the Sustainable Green Pages. For more information, visit www.nesea.org or call 413-774-6051.

Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA)

Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA)

About NESEA

NESEA is the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (www.NESEA.org), Founded in 1974, the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) is today the region’s leading membership organization promoting sustainable energy practices in the built environment. We as professionals in the fields of renewable energy and building embrace whole systems thinking as the path to sustainability, and we accomplish this by focusing on three core elements:

• Creating and supporting a diverse, multidisciplinary network
• Promoting sustainable energy solutions for the built environment
• Rigorously vetting solutions through our network of professionals - no greenwashing here.

Headquartered in Greenfield, MA, NESEA operates primarily in the six New England states plus New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, but we increasingly reach out to share ideas nationally and internationally.

About BuildingEnergy

BuildingEnergy is NESEA's annual building science and renewable energy conference and trade show. Held in Boston annually in March, BuildingEnergy is the is the most established, most cross-disciplinary renewable energy and high-performance building conference and trade show in the northeast. It attracts professionals from every part of the building and energy industry.

Learn more about this year's exciting BuildingEnergy line-up at www.nesea.org/buildingenergy

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