Sustainable Living Armidale will open eight homes as part of its tour around New England in the sustainable house tour

Sustainable Living Armidale provides an opportunity to look at a range of local houses, showcasing a variety of sustainable features, and have conversations with their owners.

It will be the sixth time the event has been held with eight houses open to the public.

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Four of the houses are relatively new, each with unique features.

Two are described as recycled - the basic structure and footprint of each house retained, but major re-building incorporating recycled elements.

There's a modern extension to an historic cottage, and a second storey on a small granny flat.

"We're so lucky, yet again, to have generous people willing to open up their houses so that we can all learn from each other," a spokesperson from Sustainable Living Armidale said.

"We're sure people will be delighted with the variety of houses in this year's Tour."

On May 6, people can visit two houses in Uralla, one in Invergowrie, and one in Kentucky while on May 7 there are four houses to visit in Armidale.

Since 2012, Sustainable Living Armidale has held a sustainable homes tour every two years.

It focuses on Armidale having a huge supply of old houses which can be renovated to make them more liveable and energy efficient, rather than assuming new houses are the best environmental option.

The organisation usually include information about passive solar design, tips for energy saving, and links to useful resources.

To get on the self-guided tour you need to buy the Sustainable House Tour Booklet in advance.

It can be purchased from Boobooks in the Armidale Mall; Armidale Outdoors, Rusden Street, or Little Birdy at Uralla.

Booklets are $20, for a car full of people.

Opening times are set out in the booklet, together with details of each house, mud maps to locate the eight houses, plus short articles on aspects of sustainability.

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