College of the Atlantic Student Housing Village: Bar Harbor, ME

Building Ecology

It's one thing to learn about ways to improve the relationship between humans and the environment; it's another to actually live according to those principles. A new housing complex at Maine's College of the Atlantic — where every student majors in human ecology — gives students the opportunity to live sustainably. The six houses operate without fossil fuels, relying on a biomass-fueled central boiler plant for heat and hot water. Efficient plumbing fixtures and composting toilets conserve water, while a super insulated and well sealed envelope contributes to an annual net energy use intensity of 27 kBtu/ft² • yr.