The fourth annual Northwest Green Home Tour will be held April 26, 2014, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Presented by the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild and Built Green, with generous support from Greenhome Solutions, the self-guided tour showcases local, sustainable, and green new homes, remodels, and energy retrofits in the Seattle area and beyond.

Six Ballard-area homes will be featured on this year’s tour:

Drinking Rainwater in Ballard by Bristow Enterprises: 7703 26th Ave NW
See rainwater catchment in its various forms, plus other sustainable features, including an energy retrofit and remodel. Our house has one of the first legal whole-house rainwater catchment and filtration systems in the city of Seattle. A short walk brings you to many other rain gardens in the neighborhood. Map provided.

Dinah by Green Canopy Homes: 8050 14th Ave NW
A beautiful, energy-efficient, sustainably built, walkable single-family home in Greenwood. Complete with all the bells and whistles for the green geeks as well as the build quality and aesthetic expected from this demanding market.

Falcon’s Nest by Red Cottage Studios: 7744 Dibble Ave NW
Falcon’s Nest is a family endeavor. It serves as a pied-à-terre for California grandparents, who love to visit their grandson, or a potential future rental. The garage/apartment is built with sustainability and economy in mind. It has green finishes, energy and space efficiency, and rich natural light.

RainWise - NW Seattle by RainWise and Sustainable Ballard: 2034 NW 60th St
This property is RainWise! Each year, 50,000 gallons of rainwater are NOT going down the storm drains, thanks to a beautiful and functional rain garden and five cisterns. Learn all about rain gardens, cisterns, and big RainWise rebates offered by Seattle Public Utilities and King County.

NW 58th St. Townhouses by Haberzetle Homes: 1531A+B, 1533, 1535 NW 58th St
Targeting 4-Star Built Green certification, these four modern townhouses are located near the heart of Ballard. A thoughtful design and layout maximizes light as well as privacy for each unit, while rooftop decks provide a great retreat. Stylish finishes combine with energy-conscious construction, including HRVs.

Herndon Home by Puget Sound Solar: 808 NW 64th St
This 104-year-old house is remodeled with aims of extending the structure’s useful life and making it less resource dependent. The end result is a home coming very close, if not meeting, the Seattle 2050 goals for Energy and Carbon scoring and using a quarter the normal amount of city water.

This year’s event features 35 homes in total, as well as 12 Sustainability Stops, offering healthy refreshments, additional educational experiences, product demos, and discounts to tour goers. Site details and the official tour map are available online at NWGreenHomeTour.org and will be printed in the April edition of Seattle Natural Awakenings magazine. Those interested in volunteering on the day of the tour are encouraged to contact info@nwgreenhometour.org.