The Williamstown elementary school, Adams Visitors Center, Berkshire Museum, Darrow School, Privacy Campground and seven Berkshire homes will be among the solar and “green†buildings open to the public on Saturday, Oct. 2.
Visitors will get a view of energy systems and a tour of the buildings to learn what it means to live or work in a building that has been designed with the environment in mind, according to event organizers.
Environmentally sound homes and buildings across the country will open their doors as part of the American Solar Energy Society’s National Tour of Solar Homes on Saturday. In New England, the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) is organizing events, and the Berkshire area tour is being coordinated by the Center for Ecological Technology (CET). Some of the open houses have limited hours. Visitors can find more details at www.nesea.org/buildings/openhouse or by calling CET, 445-4556, ext. 14, for details and directions.
The open-house sites are as follows:
The Congdon residence, 465 Swamp Road, Richmond, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The 200-year-old early American Cape showcases solar electric panels and a solar domestic hot -water system mounted on the roof, as well as a 2-kilowatt ground-mounted system consisting of two 1KW pole mounted photovoltaic arrays. Each array can be connected to the grid or can feed into a battery bank. To maximize the benefits of their solar power, the Congdons have installed energy-efficient lights and appliances and instantaneous hot water;
The Clark residence, 641 Kirschner Road, Dalton, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Built in 1985, the contemporary home features passive solar gain, solar hot water, radiant heat, thermal mass to store and release heat, and high levels of insulation;
The Knowles residence, 11 Pine Knoll Road, Lenox, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The home features a newly installed 2kW photovoltaic system. The contemporary home includes passive solar-design features to help heat the home and bring in natural light.
Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Information will be given on the photovoltaic array that powers the spotlights on the kiosk in front of the museum. The system has a peak output of 360 watts, and electricity is stored in six 12-volt batteries for nighttime use.
Darrow School, Route 20, New Lebanon, N.Y., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Samson Environmental Center was designed to fit aesthetically within its location at the historic Mount Lebanon Shaker Village while performing as a responsibly constructed and energy efficient modern building. Those attending can view the “living machine†wastewater-treatment greenhouse, which processes up to 8,500 gallons of wastewater daily. Additional features include motion-sensing lights, low-flush toilets and temperature activated ventilation.
The Cohen-Sacks residence, 732 North Main St., Lanesboro, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The historically accurate "Greek Revival" home has a timber frame constructed of local oak, hemlock and cherry and handcrafted with traditional mortise and tendon joinery. That frame is enclosed with an innovative exterior wall system that provides excellent insulation. Areas with high ceilings are efficiently heated and cooled using non-convection systems. This home is nearing completion, and was built to comply with Energy Star standards.
Privacy Campground, 2458 Hancock Road, Hancock, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A self-standing, self-regulating hydropower plant is gravity fed and uses no pumps. It produces enough power to run a campground, home and workshop. Visitors will also see a solar hot-water system, small wind turbine and solar wood shed. Owner Andre Rambaud reports that his monthly electric bill is only $6.60, which is the charge for reading the meter.
Williamstown Elementary School, 115 Church St., Williamstown, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hourly tours will highlight the school’s many green-building features. In October 2003 a 24-kilowatt photovoltaic (solar electric) system was installed that will produce approximately 30,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year.
Habitat for Humanity home, Hall Street, Williamstown, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Energy Star home is nearing completion. The home was the result of a partnership between the Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity and Williamstown Rural Lands foundation. Designer Anne McCallum worked with students of C.H. McCann Technical School to design an energy-efficient home to reduce the owner’s living expenses. Berkshire Photovoltaic Services donated labor to install a 2kW photovoltaic system.
The Pethica-Case residence, 401 Pine Cobble Road, Williamstown, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The home, completed in 2004, features a newly installed 1kW photovoltaic system.
Adams Visitors Center, 3 Hoosac St., Adams, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The $2.5 million facility features a computer-controlled geothermal heating and cooling system. Pipes reach 300 feet underground to pump groundwater, which is at a constant year-round temperature, for temperature control.
Information about the green buildings tour and to obtain directions to the homes: www.nesea.org/buildings/openhouse.
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Air Quality Alert Issued for Berkshire County
Staff reports
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The state's on an air quality alert through midnight Thursday because of the smoke from wildfires in Canada.
Berkshire residents woke up to smoky, hazy skies and a red glowing sun on Wednesday morning, but with less oppressive heat.
The Department of Environmental Protection issued an air quality alert for elevated levels of fine particles (PM2.5). This refers to microscopic airborne particles measuring 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter — about 30 times smaller than a human hair. These particles come in many sizes and shapes and can be made up of hundreds of different chemicals.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the size of these particles can cause serious health problems because they can get deep into your lungs and even into bloodstreams. Particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter pose the greatest risk to health.
The air quality statewide is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. These include people with heart or lung disease such as asthma, older adults, children, teenagers, and people who are active outdoors. People with either lung disease or heart disease are at greater risk from exposure to air pollution.
MassDEP advises people in sensitive groups to reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion, take more breaks, do less intense activities, follow asthma action plans, and keep quick relief medicine handy. Watch for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath.
EPA's air quality index rates levels from "good" at 0-50 and "very unhealthy" from 201 to 300. Residents of Williamstown can track the AQI through PurpleAir, which displays results from monitors in five sections of town.
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