Sustainability is Tops for Treehouse

This summer, existing college-owned houses were renovated to complete the residential section
of the new Center for Sustainable Living (aka Treehouse). Construction has continued throughout the fall semester on an addition which, when completed, will create “an environmental dream house,” according to Becki Walker ’06, sustainability specialist and former Treekid.

The Treehouse is a communal-living environment that selects residents based on their environmental awareness, willingness to take action and ability to contribute to the house. Their mission is finding innovative ways to reduce energy usage and sustain the environment.

To spotlight the house’s communal component, a 1,000-square-foot common room with smart-classroom technology will accommodate the group’s events. On the exterior, the current individual porches have become one large, handicapped-accessible porch, and the back patio contains an open fire pit and serves as another gathering place.

The technology in the new residence will aid the students in their environmental mission. The common room combines efficient electric heating and a stove that burns corn pellets. The building is well sealed to keep warm and cold air from entering or escaping.

Along the same lines, the overhang of the south-facing roof allows maximum sunlight to reach the windows during the cold winter months and minimum sunlight during the summer. Rainwater is being recycled for the toilets and, to top it all off—literally—the roof will be covered with solar collectors.

Hans Pfister, associate professor of physics and adviser to the Treehouse, is developing a series of measurement tools “to give the students the ability to do experiments and see how much energy they save,” he says. These tools include computer sensors that measure sunlight, temperatures and other variables.

Pfister’s vision is to “make the house a classroom—an independent learning facility.”