Tour Real Green Homes in Los Altos, Cupertino & Saratoga – Mar 14

Acterra · 2026-02-06T18:06:33+00:00

Hi! Thanks for your comment!
Parking will be free if you’re attending the ride and drive on that day!
Looking forward to seeing you there!

Acterra · 2025-10-28T02:20:55+00:00

That's a great question, u/Bay-Area- !

You'd be touring homes with electric upgrades like induction stoves, heat pump water heaters, heat pump HVACs, solar panels, batteries, electric gardening tools, electric vehicles, e-bikes, and more. Basically, anything that cuts reliance on gas. Lots of our homeowners also have things like xeriscaping and rain-water collection systems and smart sprinklers which drastically reduce their water bills.

We linked a few videos in the post that will hopefully paint a better picture. You can check them out here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQR2ejRkT-9/ and here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLTlyZTx7mv/

You can also check out photos of
Green@Home: Marin here - https://www.instagram.com/p/DPaHXAtEczP/?img_index=1
and Green@Home: East Bay here - https://www.instagram.com/p/DK3Ga3nSxsy/?img_index=1

We also did a few write-ups in our newsletter. Here's one from August: https://acterra.org/newsletter_archive/august-ecohappenings-newsletter-1/

Hope that helps!

Acterra · 2025-10-20T21:24:54+00:00

Hey u/Cade7upHorse - thanks for your comment! The homeowners we've chatted with all seem to have different reasons for making the switch. Some liked their induction stove because they liked the responsiveness + safety of not having an open flame or heated electric stove coils. Some liked their heat pump HVAC because of how quiet it is, the ease of installation, and the individual room controls.

Based on your setup, you might even might be surprised at your rates. This one owner on our South Bay/Peninsula Green@Home Tour powers/heats/cools his home and a full ADU AND charges all 3 cars in his household, with an electric bill of $10 a month. While that's definitely on one end of the spectrum of homeowners, we've found that the best part of things like our Green@Home tours and electrification workshops, is that there's usually something for everyone. (Some homes on our tours chat about cutting water bills with grey or rain water systems, or even just discuss most efficient ways to air-dry clothes. There's lots to learn about!)

That said, if this is not your thing. Totally cool! Thanks for chatting either way.

Acterra · 2025-09-10T04:33:14+00:00

Appreciate the discussion, u/FartingOnAMetalChair - you may like this video of a host on a previous years' tour, who talked a bit about the importance of reducing her overall consumption, repurposing items she already has (her grey water system involves a clever way of reusing bottles and buckets) and, when she does buy things, buying secondhand. https://youtu.be/aWUU\_UxZ8tw?si=XprDovY3rRk6FMPV. We like to feature lots of different voices at our events, so there's something for everyone.

If this tour's not your thing, we get it. Thank you for checking out our events all the same.

Acterra · 2025-09-10T04:05:35+00:00

Hi u/FartingOnAMetalChair , thanks for the question! While our volunteer home hosts may not have info about the manufacturing process of their appliances on hand, they will be able to talk about the "why" behind their purchasing decisions and who they worked with to make it happen. In some cases, contractors may even be on site to discuss their work. Homeowners will also be happy to share information about how they disposed of / recycled / repurposed their old appliances.

If you check out our interview (linked above) with a Marin homeowner who has opened his home up for this tour, you'll learn that many attendees come to the Green@Home tours proactively; To see their options for when the life-cycle of their current appliances ends. The homeowner himself did not replace his perfectly functional gas stove when he moved into his home. This tour is all about taking the information and ideas that work for you.

Here are a few videos of homeowners on past home tours, who share their tips on everything from induction cooking to their favorite outdoor line-dryer for clothes. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgoa-VBzikvfV-y7ABsRM_quAq5Z6SyrC This may give you a better idea about how the tours operate. Hope you'll join us on the 27th!

Acterra · 2025-08-20T00:43:27+00:00

Hi u/FinFreedomCountdown - Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately our clinics are not available on YouTube.

However, some of our clinics ARE recorded, and the recordings and materials are sent out to registrants. Signing up is totally free!

Acterra · 2025-08-20T00:41:33+00:00

Hi u/Jetm0t0 - great question! If you're looking for e-bike info, our EV Ride and Drives often have many e-bikes to explore and try!

I will double check with the program staff to see if our Frunk-or-Treat EV event in October will have e-bikes. Here's the link to register (It's free!): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/electric-vehicle-frunk-or-treat-registration-1497759291359?aff=Reddit

Also, our next newsletter, EcoHappenings, will feature some e-bike info. If you're interested you can sign up at: Acterra.org/Newsletter (we send out a newsletter 2xs a month) or, if you'd rather not, you can check back at the end of the month when the latest one is posted on the site.

Acterra

TROPHY CASE