Eco House: A new residential option at Keene State
Keene State College is furthering its longstanding commitment to sustainability by establishing two on-campus eco houses.
Composting food waste at the Dining Commons, providing accessible recycling opportunities, and utilizing a renewable fuel source to heat more than 65 percent of campus buildings are among other initiatives on campus aimed at greener environmental practices.
Eco houses are a student housing option that requires a commitment to eco-friendly and sustainable approaches. They also promote the importance and benefits of living in a community.
Cornell University, Dickinson College, and Tufts University are other higher education institutions that have established successful eco houses. The houses at Keene State will be used to promote and showcase sustainable living practices to students, faculty, and the campus community.
Residents of the eco houses will practice sustainable living habits like composting, recycling, opting for environmentally friendly products, and reducing their energy and water consumption. They will also be expected to plan an event each semester that teaches the campus community about sustainable living.
Examples of these events include finding eco-friendly substitutes for common products and learning how to reduce waste. Students with 60 credits or more can apply to become an eco-house resident and join others interested in ecologically-minded living. All eligible students are encouraged to apply! All students are encouraged to participate in events to learn about how they can bring eco-conscious practices into their own lives. As the houses become more established, a student-run garden will be created and maintained. This will be for the use of the houses, non-resident students, and eco-centered student clubs such as the Eco-Reps.
Future goals include projects on improving energy efficiency, such as LED lighting fixtures, solar panels, and more. The houses will also be available for students to conduct academic research, such as providing a case study for students in programs like Architecture, Sustainable Product Design and Innovation, and Sustainability Studies.
The larger of the two houses, across from Wyman Tavern at 361 Main Street, will house a maximum of nine students. The other house, by the Pondside II on-campus apartments at 23 Appleton Street, will house a maximum of five students.
Since this constitutes special-interest housing, two employees will serve as co-advisors for students in the house: Kate Witte, KSC Sustainability Coordinator, and Dr. Sasha Davis of the Environmental and Sustainability Studies Department.
The houses are expected to be open for student living by the start of the 2025-26 academic year.
