By Town Crier Staff Report
Hidden Villa in Los Altos Hills will be the ideal place to celebrate Earth Day on Saturday: visitors can enjoy traditional farm animals and activities and also learn about today’s latest earth-saving, energy-saving ideas.
All Los Altos-area residents are invited to bring a picnic and enjoy farm animal visits, maypole dancing, rail-splitting, butter churning, garden fun and guided tours of two new, earth-friendly buildings.
One of the buildings, the Wolken Education Center, features straw bale and trombe (water) walls, passive solar design, rooftop photovoltaics, solar hot water, salvaged materials, sustainably harvested lumber and energy-efficient appliances, as well as numerous other innovative aspects.
A 73.5 percent reduction from typical energy use is estimated for the building, which will be the “welcome center” for area school children when they arrive for farm tours and environmental studies.
The other new building, the rebuilt Hidden Villa Hostel, features a rammed earth wall, passive solar design, geothermal heat pump, wheatboard ceilings, sustainably harvested lumber and salvaged materials.
“We are very excited about the educational opportunities these buildings will provide for both adults and children to learn about sustainable building practices,” said Hidden Villa Executive Director Judith Steiner. “There is nothing else like it in the Bay Area.”
Tours and exhibits for Saturday’s Earth Day celebration will include slide show presentations by the architects of the new buildings, which will be presented at the Visitor’s Welcome Center from 10 a.m. to noon. Other events include a PG&E “smarter energy consultant,” a nontoxic home-care presentation, electric and hybrid car demonstrations and other exhibits focusing on earth-friendly, energy-saving ways to build and operate homes and offices. Hidden Villa’s architects and contractors will be available throughout the day for questions and answers.
Earth Day celebration hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is $8 per person or $28 per family of four. Picnic lunches are encouraged; snacks and refreshments will be sold.
Reservations are necessary as space is limited. Call 949-8653 or visit the Web site at hiddenvilla.org. Hidden Villa is located at 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills.
