NOVEMBER 3, 2014 BY
This is the signature YVSC event that got me involved in YVSC over five years ago – providing an inspiring sneak peek into homes of all kinds, sizes, and designs with an educational talk at each by builders, contractors, and owners. Every year it’s a totally different experience, and each time I’m blown away by the work that has been done on the homes to make them more efficient, free from the “grid,” and truly beautiful “smart” homes. Such gems in our valley!
Three generous homeowners in the “Mid Valley” area (south of Steamboat off CR 14) opened their doors yesterday to over thirty community members, sponsors, and Green Building Tour enthusiasts to learn more about a wide range of green building practices. Contractors, architects, and homeowners spoke to many topics at each home- from alternative energy sources such as geo-exchange and photovoltaic solar to inspiring design such as the European passive solar model and super-insulated strawbale. The group also toured The City’s Legacy Ranch, used and operated by local nonprofit Yampatika as a working environmental educational center.
To read more, this year’s tour handout can be viewed here.
Despite inclement weather (including a bought of hail), the views from all of these homes were expansive, but the group – divided in two and shuttled by Windham Resorts/Steamboat Resorts – spent much of the time in mechanical rooms learning about how the off-grid and semi-off grid intelligent systems work from contractors including Brightside Solar, Cogswell Construction, Fin’s Tins, JMR Construction, Kelly and Stone Architects, Lightworks of Steamboat, Odyssey Builders, and Simply Radiant Heating.
We had a lot of press on this year’s tour! Look for a full story on the tour to appear in the Steamboat Today this week, as well as in the next issue of Homelink Magazine! Links will be posted here and on our News page when they go live.
YVSC wants to thank all our architects, builders, contractors, homeowners, participants and our esteemed sponsors for supporting this legacy event!
This year’s tour was sponsored by:
