Updated list of Solar Tour stops

Original posts:

“Solar Basics for the Home”  10am to 12pm,

Appalachian Center, 205 North Main Street, Berea, KY

SENS House open-house, 10 am to 4 pm

121 Jefferson Street, Berea KY

New stops include:

Boyce/Maxson/Abbot Residence, 10 am to 4 pm

302/304 Center Street, Berea

This 4200 ft² house was planned, built and shared by two families, 2500 ft² on one side and 1700 ft² on the other. House-wide features:  solar water heaters, metal roof, hardy plank siding, geothermal HVAC, passive solar design, day lighting, ceiling fans in every room, builder attention to energy efficiency (especially the building shell), highest energy star rating (5 Star Plus), HERS index 29, all Energy Star appliances and light fixtures, emphasis on materials that are nearly local and have recycled content. The 1700 ft² side has a 2.66 kW grid-tied photovoltaic system.

Ukeiley/Crowe Residence

507 Center Street, Berea

Typical older single family home in in-town neighborhood with well established vegetation has been retrofitted with a small PV system that meets almost all of the home’s electric needs on an annual net basis. Highlights: 1.2 kW grid intertied PV system that uses all black, high efficiency PV panels and high efficiency inverter.  Also, solar powered attic fan, and natural gas-fired tankless water heater.

Reedy/Clemons Residence, Open house noon to 4 pm

2593 Hammonds Fork Road, Rockcastle County

This geodesic dome makes a unique, off-the-grid home. Highlights: Passive solar design; on-demand propane water heater; 350-watt off-the-grid solar electric system- ground mounted with manual tracking. Very efficient small 7.5 cu. ft. electric 12-volt refrigerator, and many 12-volt DC appliances, including compact fluorescent lights, ceiling fan, and water pump. Future plans include a micro-hydro system to supplement current solar electric system.

Directions: From Berea, take KY 21 east toward Big Hill. Go approx. 5 miles until road ends. Turn RIGHT onto US 421. After you go up Big Hill turn RIGHT (just after passing the Rockcastle County sign) onto Burnt Ridge Rd. Go about 0.25 mile and turn LEFT onto Hammonds Fork Rd. When the road flattens out, look for a drive with two red wagon wheels and two green windmills on the right. At the next driveway turn RIGHT. Park at the green gate at the end of the gravel drive.

HomeGrown Hideaways, Open house 10 am to 2 pm

500 Floyd Branch Road, Berea

HomeGrown HideAways is an educational facility and eco-retreat on the outskirts of Berea which specializes in teaching workshops on Ecological Design, Natural Building, and Appropriate Technologies.  The site features many energy-efficiency upgrades including compact fluorescent and LED lighting, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and a home-made solar water heater on the event center bath house. Visitors to this site will also see the progress made on this summer’s Natural Building series including an EarthBag Garden Wall and a future intern residence, the Cob Inn. www.HomeGrownHideAways.org

Directions: From Berea, take KY 21 East toward Big Hill. Turn LEFT onto 421 and drive about 1.2 miles to Red Lick Rd (HWY 594). Turn RIGHT onto Red Lick Rd (HWY 594) and follow for 3.5 miles to Floyd Branch. Floyd Branch is the FIRST RIGHT after the country store. We are on the right 1.5 miles down Floyd Branch (500).

Leave a Reply