The energy-efficiency organization eMERGE Guelph has picked three local homes to showcase in a new event on Saturday that is part of the province wide Green Energy Doors Open.

The 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 10 event will highlight homes built from 1869 to 2015 that showcase alternative energy systems, low water use and efficient building envelopes.

The three Guelph homes that will be open to the public are the Findlay/Pocock house at 40 Spring St., the Colvin house at 49 Caledonia St. and Reid’s Heritage Homes’ “net-zero home” at 197 Goodwin Dr. Staff will be on hand at each location to help answer any questions from visitors.

This is the first year for the eMERGE Efficient Homes event, and it could become a yearly tradition, a news release said.

“The most surprising thing that people will find is that an energy efficient home doesn’t look any different from other homes on the street,” said Steve Yessie, eMERGE’s home tune-up adviser.

“And the age of the home doesn’t need to be a barrier to saving money by reducing energy and water use,” he said in the release.

“We want to show people that homes, old and new, can be efficient. Investing in efficiency retrofits is a smart choice in any home, making it more comfortable through the hot and cold months and saving a lot of money too.”

The eMERGE Home Tune-Up, free to Guelph residents, is a one-hour in-home consultation that will help people save money and reduce the pollution that causes climate change, the release said.