The better question is, how many college students does it take to design the most energy-efficient college residence hall in the United States?

The answer is: a single class of Unity College students in partnership with G∙O Logic Homes.

The TerraHaus residence hall on Unity’s campus is the first college residence hall in the U.S. built to the Passive House standard, representing the highest international standard for energy efficiency.

Projects such as TerraHaus, as well as our LEED Platinum, net-zero Unity House, are part of the reason Unity College is becoming nationally recognized as a leader in the growing field of Sustainability Science.

Students were directly involved in the design and construction of TerraHaus through a class taught by Professor Doug Fox. The class also engaged students in home weatherization and energy efficiency activities in the local community. Such hands-on blending of knowledge and practice is part of the college’s Sustainability Science approach to preparing the next generation of environmental leaders.

Sustainability Science focuses on the dynamics of human-environment systems. TerraHaus demonstrates ways to meet current human needs without sacrificing the environment on which future generations will depend.