4th Annual Green Home Bike Tour - May 18th, 2013

The bike tour has been canceled due to the rain and possibility of thunderstorms.We will reschedule for another date.

Tour De Green

On Saturday May 18th, take a bicycle tour of Asheville neighborhoods and visit 5 properties that feature green building and enegy conservation construction methods. Cutting edge properties built by JAG Construction, Koerber Construction and Surefoot Builders will be featured along with the Gain and Clingman Loft Developments.

The tour will also provide information on energy efficiency upgrades and methods that can be applied to existing homes. Green Building professionals will be available at select properties to answer questions and an experienced cyclist will be your guide and provide information on current and developing infrastructure improvements taking place in core areas of the city.

The tour will originate at Beer City Bicycles, conveniently located in the heart of Downtown at 144 Biltmore Ave. A moderate fitness level is suggested and helmets are required.

Meet at Beer City Bicycles at noon and the ride will begin at 12:15. Parking is available to the right of the building.

The tour is free and food and refreshments will be provided at the end of the tour. To register for the event, contact Justin Mitchell with the number of participants in your party at justin@justinasheville.com or 828.713.9400.

Tour De Green is proud to be a part of Strive Not To Drive week taking place in Asheville May 12th-18th. To learn more about the events or to take the pledge visit the Strive Not to Drive website. www.strivenottodrive.org or check them out on Facebook .

Sponsored by Mosaic Community Lifestyle Realty, Pisgah Brewing Company and Doc Cheys

2011 Green Home Bike Tour! Bicycles and Building Science.

We're going for another ride... Last year's Green Home Bike Tour was a great event and from the smiles on people faces in the photos from last year I am looking forward to another tour in 2011. If you didn't make it to last years event, here is the info.

Take a bike ride through Asheville’s core neighborhoods and learn more about green building at the second annual Green Home Bike Tour on May 21st. The tour will include a variety of green properties and provide participants information on bicycle routes and alternative transportation options in Asheville.

Mike Figura and I will lead a tour of 6-7 properties ranging from a commercial green rehab to the first home built in Asheville from all nontoxic materials. Green building professionals will be available at select properties to answer questions and provide information about green features and construction methods.

The tour will originate at Biowheels Bike Shop and visit properties in the Downtown and West Asheville areas. The ride will be approximately ten miles in total distance and due to the hilly nature of the Asheville landscape a moderate fitness level is suggested and helmets are required.

Start: Biowheels: 81 Coxe Ave. Presentation at 12:00. Ride begins at 12:30
Finish: Biowheels: 81 Coxe Ave. Post ride will begin at 5:00

A suggested donation of $5 - $10 will go to benefit Asheville on Bikes a local nonprofit organization focused on improving Asheville’s cycling and pedestrian infrastructure.

A post ride reception at Biowheels will offer refreshments from local craft breweries and food from Doc Cheys.

For general information or to register for the tour Please email me at JustInAsheville@gmail.com with the number of people in your party or you can sign up at Biowheels at 81 Coxe Ave. I may also be reached at (828)713-9400.

The event is sponsored by Mosaic Community Lifestyle Realty, Biowheels and Pisgah Brewing Company.

Here are few of the properties that will be featured on the tour.

The Kestrel - This home has caught many people's attention and I am excited to show participants the interior of this unique property. Located at 47 Waynesville Road near the River Arts District this home features a small footprint and offers 973 sq ft of green built living area over three floors.


Hudson Street Cottages - A courtyard community in West Asheville featuring community gardens, solar, and many more green features. Developer Mike Figura will be on hand to answer questions regarding this exciting concept community.

Rich Street Hemp House - Though this home has yet to be built Push Design will be on hand at a home recently completed to discuss the features of this home. The demonstration will take place at Asheville's first home built from all nontoxic materials on Pruitt Street in West Asheville.

Davenport Park in West Asheville by JAG Builders. Great microcommunity walking / biking distance from all that West Asheville has to offer and located adjacent to a community park. Green Built with solar and top notch construction.

Clingman Lofts - Participants will tour a one bedroom and two bedroom unit. These properties are Healthy Built Certified and come with attractive financing options via Mountain Housing Opportunities. Great location for the price.


Since buying a new green property is only one way of living in a green home, I am excited to announce that the tour will provide a demonstration showcasing a homeowners options to improve an existing property. Choosing to live in a home that has already exist is very green option when you factor the embodied energy it takes to build a new structure. Participants will tour an older home in need of improvements and professionals will be on hand to show what methods and materials can be used to improve energy efficiency and create a healthier indoor living environment.

Hope to see you on this year's tour!

Justin

Bicycles and Building Science

Thanks to Western North Carolina Green Building Council for putting together four wonderful days of events. The Many Shades of Green Extravaganza was a great success. Each night there was something to learn and great people to meet. I enjoyed taking part in all the events but it was the bike tour that I was most excited about.

Asheville has a very high number of cyclist and I knew a few of them would be interested in green properties as well. It was a perfect spring day and the bike tour attracted a great mix of green minded people who could not have picked a better day to ride a bicycle. Everyone had a good time and got some exercise while learning something new. It was great meeting new people and inspiring several people to dust of thier bike and start riding again. Just knowing that Asheville has a few new cyclist that will now think twice about driving across town knowing they can bike there instead made the experience worth it.

Thanks to all the riders who participated in the first green home bike tour, I hope you enjoyed the experience as much as I did. Special thanks to the builders and owners who opened their homes and businesses and provided us with a wealth of information. Big thanks to Robbie McLucas , Biowheels and Pisgah Brewing for the wonderful support, after party, food and refreshments.

Hope to see you all this Fall at the next tour.

Justin Mitchell
Keller Williams Realty
828.713.9400

Getting ready to ride at Biowheels.

Souvenirs from ReCycled Concepts.

Grant Gosch with First Light Solar discussing Biowheel's Solar hot water system.

Bill McCurdy of Sun Construction talks about the green features of 411 West Haywood Rd.

A great sight at a green home.

Brain Knight with Springtime Homes talks about his latest green home on Crestmont.

A green fleet of over twenty riders.

Community garden space in a courtyard development in West Asheville.

What a gorgeous spring day.

Taking a look at what will be earthen wall coverings at the Nauhaus.

The "Hemp House" as it is known by most will be a recording setting property in terms energy efficiency.

The smiles say it all. Great ride, amazing properties, and fun people.