October is National Energy Awareness Month. The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) National Solar Tour is taking place beginning the first Saturday of the month with additional tours being held throughout the month. The largest grassroots solar event in the U.S., last year more than 160,000 people visited over 5,500 buildings in 3,200 communities across the country.

The national event is coordinated by ASES along with dozens of partner organizations. Here are several examples of where some of the events will be held:

• Solar Connecticut – CT Solar Tour in All, CT on 10/06/2012
• Solar tour in Mahomet, IL on 10/06/2012
• Houston Solar Tour in Houston, TX on 10/20/2012
• San Antonio Solar Tour in San Antonio, TX on 10/07/2012

Here is the tour I want to go on. There is a tour of three “Ghost Houses” in Knoxville, Tennessee that are more than 100 years old and have been rehabilitated. They were sitting abandoned for some time and thus the the Ghost Houses moniker stuck. The project was unique with the designers having to deal with zoning issues, regulations and historic preservation issues but the team was successful and as part of their eco-friendly homes added solar energy. This is just one example of a solar tour that will take place in October.

Click here to find a tour near you.  Click here if you want to list a tour in your area.