Chelsea is Stop on 2014 National Solar Tour

The Farmington Hills City Hall incorporates several sustainable practices, including solar panels on the roof. (Photo: City of Farmington Hills)

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Farmington Hills City Hall is a rare exception in model projects featured in the largest U.S. grassroots solar event in history this weekend.

Most of the Michigan sites on the 2014 National Solar Tour are residential homes, but the city of Farmington Hills has incorporated solar panels, a solar water heater, rain and rooftop gardens, geothermal heating and cooling, and other energy conservation measures in its municipal buildings.

Guided tours begin at 10:45 a.m. in the municipal building parking lot, 31555 W. 11 Mile Road.

“Farmington Hills City Hall is really leading the way as a model of clean energy and efficiency – especially now in southeast Michigan where about 75 percent of our electricity comes from coal,”Andrew Sarpolis, conservation organizer for the Sierra Club’s southeast Michigan chapter, said in an email.

“This is about double the national average of coal consumption,” he said “We also fall behind 30 of 50 states in renewable energy standards.”

» See more photos of the Farmington Hills City Hall building.

The American Solar Energy Society tours are sponsored locally by the ASES Michigan chapter and the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association. Now in its 19th year, the National Solar Tour is an opportunity for people to tour innovative green homes and buildings to see how they can use solar energy and other sustainable technologies to reduce their utility costs and improve the environment.

More than 5,000 buildings will be toured by about 150,000 people over the two days of the event.

Also in Michigan:

• Mechanical Energy Systems in Canton: Note: this tour will be on Saturday, Nov. 1.
• Chelsea Area Solar Tour, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday: Start the tour at the Chelsea District Library, 221 S. Main, where you can pick up a listing of tour sites and other valuable information.
• Lansing Area Solar & Sustainable Homes Tour Saturday: Click on the link for specific tour times.
• Southwest Michigan, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday: Click on the link for more information, plus get more information here.
• Ypsilanti Solar Home Tour, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday: Click on the link for specific tour information.