Vienna Home And Garden Tour Focuses On Sustainability

Susan Stillman has come across lots of people who want to make their homes and lifestyles more sustainable. The only problem is they don't have any idea where to start.

It's a knowledge gap Stillman, a Vienna resident, and the town's Community Enhancement Commission hope to help bridge this weekend with the town's first home and garden tour focused on sustainability.

From noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, 13 homes and businesses will open their doors and yards to showcase different projects that have made better use of resources, reduced waste or lessened a footprint.

"Each of the owners of the homes and gardens on the Vienna tour have done something that is important to them," Stillman said. "They'll help others understand why they made they change, how they went about it and if there is anything they'd do differently."

The self-guided tour takes residents through three of the town's four quadrants, from a rain garden on Kingsley Street SE designed to reduce runoff into the storm sewer system to a highly-efficient geothermal HVAC system on Dogwood Street SW.

the only Virginia Green Certified restaurant in town, will also showcase its green roof and how it recycles kitchen grease and packaging.

"Different homes [and] gardens will interest different people," Stillman said. "The new homes that meet energy efficiency standards will interest some but many people will be interested in retrofitting their current home, so the geothermal installations will be of interest. We have a lot of gardeners in Vienna so the first home on Orrin will interest people because all of the work has been done by the homeowners -- it was done on a shoestring budget."

Stillman said she has attended the Arlingtonians for a Cleaner Environment home and garden tour for years and always learns something useful.

At that event, the Washington Area for Bicyclist Association put together a bike tour of the event. While there is no formal bike train for Vienna's tour, residents are encouraged to walk or bike between locations; most are concentrated in Southwest Vienna. Parking is also available at the

The following homes are included on Sunday's tour; a map is included in the media player above.

For more information, visit the tour's website.

A- 501 Orrin Street SE

Garden sustained by rainwater and sump pump. Demonstration of water saving and money saving techniques. Homemade soaker hoses and a rain garden.

B- 720 Center Street S

Permeable driveway which mitigates runoff into the storm drains and a new type of batting insulation in a renovation that is very effective.

C- 702 Cottage Street SW

Installation of highly-efficient geothermal HVAC system: saving money and making the home more comfortable.

D- 108 Kingsley Road SW

Rain garden designed to reduce runoff into the storm sewer system which helps protect the Chesapeake Bay.

E- 1303 Cottage Street SW

Native and non-native plants co-exist to provide a healthy environment for all inhabitants, permeable pavers. Certified for Monarch Waystation Habitat, Virginia Habitat at Home, Audubon at Home Wildlife Sanctuary, and National Wildlife Federation Backyard Wildlife Habitat.

F- 600 Kingsley Road SW

EarthCraft Home currently under construction. EarthCraft Virginia provides a certification process for single family and multifamily projects. It serves as a blueprint for healthy, comfortable homes that reduce utility bills and protect the environment.

G-714 Meadow Lane SW

Vegetable garden, compost and rain barrel. Planting sensitively to reduce water consumption.

H- 504 Stephens Circle SW

Energy Star home near completion. Come learn about the federal program for building a home that is comfortable and less expensive to operate.

I- 705 Birch Street SW

This home features rain barrels, composting and a laundry line. This homeowner can discuss worm composting.

J- 701 Plum Street SW

Native plants, rain barrels, vegetable garden and compost.

K- 122 Dogwood Street SW

This home features a highly-efficient geothermal HVAC system which saves money and makes the home more comfortable.

M- 147 Maple Ave. W

Maple Ave. Restaurant

Certified as a Virginia Green Restaurant with a green roof, recycling kitchen grease, recycling packing materials and much more. Stop by for discussion and a sample.

N-406 Upham Place NW

Native garden professionally designed which provides a habitat for the birds, bugs and other creatures.