Green Community Tour
The Green Community Tour showcases green homes, sustainable gardening, and green apartments, condos, and townhomes in Arlington. Features include energy and water-saving technologies, electric vehicles, rain barrels, native plants, solar energy and more. Get ideas and inspiration!
The tour is sponsored by EcoAction Arlington, Virginia Cooperative Extension/Master Gardeners, Arlington Regional Master Naturalists, Arlington County’s Office of Sustainability and Environmental Management and Arlington Libraries.
The 2025 Green Community Tour will be held Sunday, September 14. Learn more about the 2025 Green Community Tour.
Would you like to share your solar panels, sustainable gardening, stormwater management or energy saving features in a future tour?
I'm interested in hosting my home or garden for a future Green Community Tour
Check out some short videos of homes and gardens that have been featured in past years:
Lawn-Free Front Yard; Mature Canopy Backyard. This homeowner is an Extension Master Gardener, Master Naturalist and Tree Steward who often gives presentations on sustainable landscaping. This home garden provides lovely habitat for wildlife, completely converting the front yard lawn to native and edible plant beds. The garden also includes 4 rain barrels, a 55-gallon dry well and home composting. A small water feature is visited by native songbirds. Check out this gardener’s classes on native plants, landscaping, and garden care: https://mgnv.org/mg-virtual-classroom/
The comfort, efficiency, and safety of this 1943 home were enhanced by implementing recent home energy audit recommendations. In the attic, new R-49 foam and cellulose insulation was added; ducts were rerouted for improved air flow; and roof ridge and smart vents were installed. In the kitchen, LED dimmer switches and a new range vent to the outside were added. In the basement, new foam insulation seals air and prevents pests; metal ducts were insulated. New metal dryer vents also reduce fire hazard.
Home Electrification and Energy Efficiency. This home includes energy efficiency, electrification, and solar PV home improvements. The homeowner shares their experience with HVAC replacement and heat pumps. Technologies also include window films, fireplace covers, battery-powered lawn care equipment, and more. Don’t miss this energy efficiency powerhouse home!
Front & Back Turf-to-Natives Landscaping. This gardener converted large sections of their front lawn to tasteful native plant beds using the lasagna method. Layers of cardboard and mulch were put in place to suppress the grass. Native plants from Earth Sangha and other local sources were also incorporated throughout. Several mature trees help intercept rain, while rain barrels capture roof runoff, and a dry creek bed slows down and conveys extra runoff. Vegetable beds, wildlife tree snags, and a compost corner are also included. These homeowners also received credit on their stormwater utility bill for conservation landscaping.
Solar Panels, EV Charging, Stormwater and >70% Native Trees and Plants. This home features a 9.1 kW solar array, electric lawn mower with mulching blades, EV charging, and a recent energy audit with blower door test. The homeowners manage stormwater with a bioswale, permeable pavers, and an aboveground infiltration planter box. The landscape features a diverse multi-season garden with shady and sunny areas, an oak canopy and young trees, >70% native plants and shrubs, leaf litter, and bird and bee habitat features. Additionally, they received five trees through the Tree Canopy Fund.
Northern Virginia Bird Alliance Certified Wildlife Sanctuary. Get inspired by the energy and care this gardener has brought to converting lawn to native plant beds! As a certified wildlife sanctuary, the garden has helped motivate neighbors to plant new trees and add native plants to their landscaping as well. Features also include vegetable gardens and composting. Each year, new garden beds have been added, so visitors can see how they fill in and mature. Learn more about the local Certified Wildlife Sanctuary Program: https://www.nvbirdalliance.org/wildlife-sanctuary-program
Homeowner Rain Garden, Dry Wells, Native Plantings. Homeowner Deborah returned to her Arlington childhood home and turned her backyard into a gorgeous new landscape that incorporates a rain garden, native plantings and underground dry wells that manage stormwater, improve drainage and provide pollinator habitat. Great example of successfully managing a flat landscape with heavy clay soils.
Voluntary Permeable Driveway and Native Landscape. Homeowner Darek highlights how his attractive permeable paver driveway, installed in 2018, catches and absorbs runoff. Together with a native plant landscape that reduced the front lawn area, this sustainable landscape captures a significant portion of stormwater runoff.
Air Sealed, Solar Panels, Renovation. This modern addition and renovation to an Arlington Cape Cod was constructed by J and J Construction and designed by Paola One Design. Join homeowners Stephen and Irina Bartell in learning about their renovation journey. Showcased in this home are advanced insulation and air sealing measures for improved comfort, reduced energy usage, better indoor air quality, and sound performance; low flow water fixtures; and lots of other sustainability strategies. A solar system rounds out the energy strategy. These owners also made sure that their basement was designed with moisture resilience in mind. This home was Green Home Choice certified.
Net Zero Energy Usage Home. This addition and renovation to an Arlington bungalow was designed by Atelier Q2 Architects and constructed by Alair Homes. Join the builder and architect to learn about how they expanded the home’s space without expanding the footprint, and about the process to create this all-electric, ultra-energy efficient home, including a solar system and electric vehicle charger. This home is expected to have net zero energy usage.
Condo Community Works Together to Address Erosion and Beautify Landscape. Prior to the installation of the garden, Fairlington Commons suffered from steep slopes with highly eroded soils, sparse grass, and turf weeds. To stop erosion, contractors and volunteers worked together to install stone berms and lush native plant landscaping, including brilliant yellow golden groundsel, white wood aster, and other hardy natives. The projects were installed partially by a contractor with lots of planting support by community members. Watch Fairlington Commons video.
Permaculture-Inspired Garden.Homeowner Barbara brings an approach of experimentation and learning to her permaculture-inspired garden, focusing on soil health, managing stormwater with rain barrels and a homeowner-installed small rain garden, and planting for biodiversity. Watch the video of Barbara's garden.
Highlands Urban Garden is a collaborative project using innovative methods for water conservation and soil rebuilding to create a productive urban garden in south Arlington, sponsored by the Friends of Urban Agriculture. Don’t miss the cover crops and other sustainable agriculture techniques.
Energy Efficient Renovation. This addition and renovation to a classic Arlington brick Colonial was designed by EnviroHomeDesign. The architect explains how this home was expanded with a very thoughtful and integrated design approach to make it as sustainable as possible. This home features an advanced continuous air sealing and insulation strategy, high-efficiency heating, cooling and water heating equipment, and a special emphasis on improved indoor air quality. Watch the video.
Energy Efficient New Home. Andrew Moore shares a new modern home constructed by his company, Arlington Designer Homes. This home was certified in the Arlington Green Home Choice program and includes high efficiency insulation and air sealing, continuous insulation on the basement walls for comfort and moisture resistance, energy efficient heating and cooling systems, a high-tech fresh air ventilation system, a pervious paver driveway, and stormwater planters. Watch the video.
All Electric, Efficient New Home. Yuri Sagatov speaks about Sagatov Design + Build’s latest luxurious modern and very sustainable new home project. This all electric home showcases a very tight building envelope and insulation strategy with super high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, and a unique fresh air ventilation strategy that dehumidifies the air before bringing it into the home. The design is also set up to accommodate a future solar system. On the playful side, the “conversation pit” is also very fun to see. Watch the video.
Solar Panel & Energy Efficient Addition. The homeowner discusses his experience in adding new very modern space to his small Arlington home with Hambleton Construction. This addition and renovation features a full exterior air sealing and insulation cocoon, solar, battery backup system, and electric vehicle charger. A lush native alternative to grass is used for the lawns. This home is Green Home Choice certified. Watch the video.
Inspired by colonial gardening techniques, homeowner Teresa reduced her front lawn by removing Bermuda grass and added edible landscaping. The garden is a new pandemic creation and she has experimented with bed alignment, water conservation and other techniques. Guided by a desire to not let anything go to waste, from soil to plant material, she has accepted many rescues. Edible plantings include Jerusalem artichoke, tomatoes, hot peppers, potatoes, leafy greens, celery, and an allium bed. Peanuts, okra, and bacon beans are also included as a nod to colonial days. She is also interested in the health and medicinal properties of her plants. This host can answer questions in English or Spanish. Watch the video in English or in Spanish.
Inspirada por técnicas antiguas de jardinería, Teresa aprovechó del tiempo en su casa durante COVID para reducir el césped y plantar huertos con tomates, pimientas, papas, espinaca, lechuga, apio, cacahuete (maní), okra, frijoles pinto, cebollas y cebollines. Experimentó con la alineación de los huertos, conservación de agua, y otras técnicas. Aceptó plantas y suelo rescatados de otros lugares para que no se echen a perder. Además, se interesa mucho por las plantas con propiedades saludables y medicinales. Mire el video en español.