The two major Triangle-area home builders associations have teamed up to sponsor the "Third Annual Triangle Wide Green Home Tour". This self-guided tour will take place on Saturday May 4 from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., and Sunday May 5 from 12:00 noon-6:00 p.m. The tour will showcase over forty of the Triangle's "greenest" new homes.

Although some of these green homes look exactly like run-of-the-mill McMansions, the builders claim that the homes have "reduced impact on the environment." Spending a few hours investigating the homes' environmentally-friendly features will help visitors make up their own minds about whether 4500 square-foot houses can truly be "green".

The tour's "kickoff event", featuring educational displays, discussion panels, etc. will take place at the NC Biotechnology Center at RTP from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon on Saturday. Tour books featuring maps of the green homes' locations and descriptions of the homes are currently available at several Raleigh-Durham locations, including all Triangle-area Stock Design Centers and Whole Foods Markets.

For more information about the tour, call (919) 493-8899.