COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County’s Sustainable Building Program invites the community to explore innovative, resilient living at the 22nd Annual Sustainable Building Tour on Saturday, October 3.
Presented as part of the Flagstaff Festival of Science, this year’s free event features a dual-track tour showcasing practical, inspiring strategies for building and living sustainably across northern Arizona. Attendees can choose between two distinct experiences, or explore both:
- Curious Spaces, Sustainable Places (Flagstaff Track): Self-guided tours running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., highlighting cutting-edge urban design, energy-efficient homes, and local community spaces in and around Flagstaff.
- Living Off the Grid – A Self-Reliant Home Tour (Williams & Valle Track): Tours running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., focusing on self-sufficient, off-grid homesteads and rural building practices in the Williams and Valle areas.
Due to travel time between sites across northern Arizona, participants are advised to plan a tour of their top three to four choices from the 11 total featured locations.
Across both tour tracks participants will explore innovative homes and buildings featuring design strategies that conserve resources, generate clean energy and enhance local resilience.
Featured sustainable practices include:
- Passive solar design & high-performance insulation
- Off-grid power systems & solar PV with battery storage
- Rainwater harvesting & gray water recycling
- All-electric designs, heat pumps & radiant heating
- Alternative & low-carbon construction (including insulated concrete forms and strawbale)
- Net-zero building techniques & native landscaping
Tour Details & Registration:
Digital tour packets, including maps, site descriptions and directions, will be published on the website two weeks prior to the event at coconino.az.gov/SustainableBuildingTour. Physical tour packets will also be available on the day of the event at Willow Bend Environmental Education Center, 703 E. Sawmill Rd., Flagstaff or Canyon Country Supply, 593 Carol Dr, Valle.
Visitors who stop by Willow Bend during tour hours can learn about regional incentives for energy efficiency and electrification and pick up a free low-flow showerhead.
Join us to get inspired, meet local builders and homeowners, and discover practical solutions for sustainable living in Coconino County.