Cool homes on tour this weekend

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Making a home more energy efficient doesn't require spending thousands on major upgrades, and this weekend the public can get some ideas during the 14th annual Cool House Tour.

"The Cool House Tour is about demonstrating what's possible as far as green living," said Natalie Marquis, executive director of the Texas Solar Energy Society .

A Habitat for Humanity home in Northeast Austin is on the tour this year. It has some simple and affordable sustainability features such as a metal roof, large overhangs on the porch, windows to shade the sun, native plants and concrete floors and Energy Star appliances on the inside.

"It dispels the myth that green is more expensive, and the lifetime expenses for the homeowner are going to save them money every month forever," said Marquis.

The idea behind the Cool House Tour is to give the public ideas on what they can do to their home to make it more energy efficient. For those looking to cut back on using the sprinkler this summer, they can use a rain water collection tank.

"It's a 500-gallon tank that's distributed by a small RV pump and is powered by a solar panel," said sustainability consultant Rich Anderson.

A dozen homes are on the tour this year, including a sleek, modern home on East 14th Street . The builder reused materials from the previous home that sat on the land and incorporated it into the new home. Plus, construction waste was recycled and mulched for the landscape.

The Cool House Tour is this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are $15 and are available at Central Market and at several of the homes on the tour.