Learn ways to go green at Old House New House Home Show

Looking to transform "this old house" into "this green house?"

Look no further than the Old House New House Home Show, coming this weekend to the Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles.

The show will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25-26. Admission is $7 for adults. Seniors 62 and older are free and children younger than 18 are also free.

Going green seems to be the rage at the 52nd season of the Home Show.

"I do feel like a lot of what we are seeing is homeowners who are taking a more eco-friendly approach to home living," Laura McNamara, Old House New House event manager, said.

"I think people are wanting to pay more attention to the environment and reduce those energy bills and live greener."

The folks from Aquascape Designs in St. Charles will be there showing off their new "RainXchange System," which allows homeowners to collect and reuse rainwater.

"It's taking your rainwater and recircling it through a decorative feature then reusing rainwater for whatever you want," Brain Helfrich, Aquascapes construction manager, said.

"People use the rainwater to irrigate flowers, or water to wash your car, irrigate your lawn - it's a self-sustaining water feature."

Aquascapes has installed its rainwater harvesting system in more than just private homes. Libraries, parks and even commercial buildings are asking for them now.

So far this year Aquascapes has done about 20 "RainXchange" installations in the Chicago area, up from five last year. Helfrich thinks the numbers will continue to grow in the future.

"(Rainwater harvesting) is in its infancy," Helfrich said. "Keeping rainwater on your property will become the norm in a few years."

Other exhibitors will focus on the use of infrared cameras and other technologies to help homeowners locate energy inefficient "hot spots" in their homes.

Homebuilding and remodeling aren't the only areas where homeowners are looking to increase their environmental sustainability. When it comes to outdoors homeowners are also looking to go green-er.

"I think people are more concerned with putting chemicals and things in their yards and using products that are environmentally friendly and will not do harm to the environment," Cheryl Monzingo, marketing manager of Nursery and Garden Center in Wasco, said.

"Chemical-free products and more organic and all-natural products - we're definitely seeing people asking for more of those."

Wasco Nursery will be exhibiting alongside Aquascapes at the Home Show. The show will also feature a kitchen workshop at noon on both days that will walk owners through the ins and outs of kitchen renovation.

"We want to help you just to sort of hone in on what is the issue before you blindly walk into a home improvement project," McNamara said, of the Home Show's aims.

"Our mission as hosts of the event is really to provide homeowners a great resource so they can make the most well-informed decision prior to entering a home improvement project so they're really well-informed."

<p class="factboxheadblack">If you go</p>

<p class="News"><b>What:</b> The 52nd Old House New House Home Show, featuring more than 300 different home renovation, remodeling and building experts</p>

<p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles</p>

<p class="News"><b>When:</b> 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 26</p>

<p class="News"><b>Cost:</b> Admission is $7 for adults. Seniors 62 and older and children younger than 18 are free. Parking is free.</p>

<p class="News"><b>Details:</b> <a href="http://kennedyproductions.com" target="new">kennedyproductions.com</a></p>