Working with the City of Frankfort to support their climate efforts

Working with local institutions to create a Partnership for a Green Community.

Working to raise awareness about the threat of climate change and what we can do to solve it.

SHUTTLE TOUR

$10 per person/ $5 for students
Join us for a bus ride around the county to visit a variety of sites showcasing solar technologies, off-grid living, energy-saving water heating options, green home modifications and living practices, energy-efficient building techniques and more. The tour will start and end at the Paul Sawyier Public Library. You are welcome to join us for the Morning Tour (includes the Lunchtime Film and Presentation), the Afternoon Tour (includes the Lunchtime Film and Presentation), or the whole day. Space is limited, so please register early!

Contact Angela at Angela.Mitchell@fewpb.net or 502 352-4740 to register.

Shuttle Tour Schedule

GATHER AT PAUL SAWYER PUBLIC LIBRARY (PSPL) by 9 a.m.

8:45 – 9:00 a.m….........Registration (You can pay you registration fee at this time)

9 - 9:15 a.m..................Brief Tour Orientation (PSPL)

9:15 - 9:45 a.m.............Travel to and Tour City Fire Station
The City of Frankfort is in the process of taking another step towards reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by installing a solar water heating system to provide hot water for showers, laundry and the kitchen at two city fire stations. We will learn about this two-collector pressurized-glycol system, to be installed by Solar Energy Solutions of Georgetown, Kentucky, which is expected to save the fire station about 180 therms of natural gas each year and prevent the emission of one ton of CO2 annually.

9:45 – 10:30 a.m. .........Travel to and Tour Roberts/Beshoar Home
After taking last year's solar tour, Mark Roberts and Betty Beshoar were inspired to make changes in their own home. Among other things, they have installed a solar water heater and hung insulated window treatments in the TV room of their old farmhouse.

10:30 a.m. – 12 noon ..Travel to and Tour Schimmoeller/Lindberg Home
(includes 15-20 minute hike from parking area)

Returning from last year's guided tour is the rural Franklin County home of Jennifer Lindberg and Mark Schimmoeller, a passive solar, timber-frame cedar cabin. Their 536-square-foot, off-grid home uses a small solar electric system, costing about $3000 to install, to meet all of their electricity needs. The passive solar design provides both heating and natural ventilation and they use about 3/4 of a cord of firewood per year for supplemental heating. Cisterns collect rain water for all of the home's water needs, and water is heated by a homemade solar water heater. A root cellar provides for winter storage of vegetables grown in their organic gardens and a solar cooker is used almost every sunny day from spring though the fall. Their home demonstrates that passive solar design and thoughtful choices about how to use energy can make building and living in one's home very economical.

12 noon - 12:45 p.m....Travel to Paul Sawyier Public Library
(includes 15-20 minute hike back to parking area)

12:45 - 2:30 p.m. ……Lunch, Film, and Presentation–Open to the public
Please bring your own lunch and cup; drinks will be provided at the Library

Film- Kilowatt Ours. This film is a timely, solutions-oriented look at one of America’s most pressing environmental challenges: energy. Filmmaker Jeff Barrie offers hope as he turns the camera on himself and asks, “How can I make a difference?” In his journey Barrie explores the source of our electricity and the problems caused by energy production including mountain top removal, childhood asthma and global warming. Along the way he encounters individuals, businesses, organizations, and communities who are leading the way, using energy conservation, efficiency and renewable, green power all while saving money and the environment.

Presentation-“Making Solar More Affordable: Saving Energy (and Money) in Your Home” Learn about simple, low cost, do-it-yourself ways to save energy from Lee Colten, ENERGY STAR Program Coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Energy Development and Independence.

2:30 – 4 p.m. ................Travel to and Tour Mitchell Home
Also returning from last year’s tour . . .Angela Mitchell has made many changes in the way she uses energy in her Franklin County ranch style home. She has slashed her home's electricity use 60% by switching to compact flourescent bulbs, adding insulation and installing energy-efficient appliances and a solar water heating system. She has Franklin County's first net-metered solar electric system, and this year we will get to look at all her data from almost a year of powering her home with the sun. A representative from the Frankfort Plant Board will be at the Mitchell home to speak about net metering.

4 – 5:30 .........................Travel to and Tour Cruz/Paul Home
The newly constructed contemporary-styled home of Rick Paul and Lynn Cruz, just west of the Franklin County line, incorporates many energy-efficient and environmentally friendly features. First and foremost, it is built using structural insulated panels (SIPS) and includes geothermal heating and cooling, a FUJI fusion septic system, two on-demand water heaters, Energy Star appliances, a steel roof, cedar siding, bamboo flooring and cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) piping. Rick served as the general contractor and notes, "this house was designed by me to meet our requirements and to be sensitive to the surroundings."

5:30 - 6 ..........................Return to PSPL

OPEN HOUSE TOUR

The second Capital Area Solar Tour option, the Open House Tour, is free and requires no registration. Provide your own transportation (Carpooling Is Cool!!!) and simply show up at the sites during the hours listed below. Home owners will be available to offer information and inspiration.

We are grateful to all of our homeowners for opening their homes to us. Please remember that these are private homes and limit you visits on the Open House Tour to the hours each site is open on Saturday, October 4, 2008.

Franklin-Anderson Counties
Flat Rock Farm - 5285 Flat Creek Road, Frankfort, KY 40601
Mapquest Map
DIRECTIONS
The northern Franklin County home of Gail Robinson and Kevin McNally features an open, passive solar design with large south-facing windows and roof overhangs constructed to capture winter sun and shed summer heat. The indoor greenhouse uses incoming winter light and heat to grow flowers and plants year round. The home also features an indoor composting toilet and solar water heater. Open Noon – 4 p.m.

Honeystreet Farm - 1317 Pigeon Fork Road, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky 40342
Mapquest Map
DIRECTIONS (Click to Show, Double Click to Hide)
The Lambert-Archer home just over the county line in Anderson County sits on 145-acres and features a Geodesic dome home, wetland septic system, three-acre pond, and a newly installed solar water heating sysytem. Participants are welcome to tour the home's vegetable and flower gardens, including a 212-foot long, 10-foot deep perennial border garden. Open Noon – 4 p.m.

Lexington
An Open House at a home featuring a dramatic blend of design and sustainable technology, including solar PV and hot water systems, reclaimed floors, rainwater retention, and more!
Times: 10am - 2pm
Instructions for Taking This Tour: Open House from 10am -2pm at 3322 Grasmere Dr. From Man O'War Blvd., take Clays Mill Rd. toward downtown. Take an immediate left onto Higbee Mill. Turn left onto Longwood Dr. Turn right onto Grasmere Dr. Continue through the stop sign and follow Grasmere to the bottom of the hill.
For More Information Contact: Ron Hoffman, golfwoodservices@insightbb.com