zHome – the first multifamily, zero-energy, carbon-neutral community in the United States – will soon open for free, public tours in Issaquah.

From Saturday to Oct. 30, the public can stop by any time on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to see this ultra-green development firsthand. zHome is located on Northeast High Street, just east of the new YWCA and Highlands Park and Ride.

The 10 townhomes, located in the Issaquah Highlands near the Park and Ride, achieve a variety of ultra-green benchmarks, including:

• True zero-net energy

• 30 percent of the water use of a typical home

• High indoor air quality through ventilation and low-toxicity materials

• Deep green building materials

• 90 percent of construction waste is recycled/reused

• Site stormwater mimics natural, forested state

zHome was brought to life through a highly collaborative public/private partnership spearheaded by the City of Issaquah, in conjunction with Built Green, King County, Port Blakely Communities, Puget Sound Energy and the Washington State University Energy Program. The homes were built and developed by Ichijo USA and Seattle builder Matt Howland.

The project demonstrates that cutting-edge environmental building technologies are not only possible – but also scalable – for mainstream housing production.

During the tour, visitors will see a variety of cutting-edge technologies firsthand, such as:

• An underground system that pre-warms water for heating and hot water

• Building exteriors with twice the insulation of a typical home

• Solar panels

•1700-gallon rainwater cisterns, which are used for toilet flushing and washing clothes

For more details on the project, stop by during an open house or go to www.z-home.org.