Berea College
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

The Sustainability and Environmental Studies (SENS) House is an ecologically designed residential, demonstration and teaching facility constructed as part of the Berea College Ecovillage. The SENS House is largely self-reliant for energy, water and waste treatment, employing a wide range of technologies for energy conservation and production, water conservation, waste treatment and use of local materials in construction. Four SENS students—the SENS House directors—live in the SENS House while developing and implementing educational programs in sustainable living and ecological design for the campus and community. Also, the Deep Green residence hall helps students understand challenges of air and climate. https://www.berea.edu/magazine/article/berea-colleges-deep-green-residence-hall-earns-worlds-highest-leed-score/ Finally, students with families live in Ecovillage. Guided by intertwined educational, environmental, and social goals, the Ecovillage is an ecologically-sustainable residential and learning complex designed to meet housing needs for student families, childcare for campus children, and provide a living/labor opportunity for students interested in sustainability. The Ecovillage is first and foremost about education. It is an example of learning by doing. Residents and children learn valuable lessons in environmentally responsible living through everyday activities and shared experiences. Other components of the Ecovillage provide educational opportunities for the entire campus and beyond. The complex includes 50 apartments, a state-of-the-art Child Development Laboratory, a Commons House, a Sustainability and Environmental Studies (SENS) demonstration house, and the SENS Aquaponics facility. Rigorous performance goals for the Ecovillage include: reduction of energy use by 75%; reduction of per capita water use by 75%; treatment of sewage and wastewater on-site to swimmable quality, and recycling, reusing or composting at least 50% of waste. To accomplish these and other goals, the Ecovillage incorporates a wide range of “green design” elements including passive solar heating, and photovoltaic panels. Roof-top capture of rainwater contributes to landscape irrigation and production of fruits and vegetables.

Deep Green Dorm is a building specifically devoted to sustainability in living; numerous other campus buildings are posted with sustainability features and info stations to help student engagement in the sustainability efforts on campus. Guided by intertwined educational, environmental, and social goals, the Ecovillage is an ecologically-sustainable residential and learning complex designed to meet housing needs for student families, childcare for campus children, and provide a living/labor opportunity for students interested in sustainability. The Ecovillage is first and foremost about education. It is an example of learning by doing. Residents and children learn valuable lessons in environmentally responsible living through everyday activities and shared experiences. Other components of the Ecovillage provide educational opportunities for the entire campus and beyond. The complex includes 50 apartments, a state-of-the-art Child Development Laboratory, a Commons House, a Sustainability and Environmental Studies (SENS) demonstration house, and the SENS Aquaponics facility. Rigorous performance goals for the Ecovillage include: reduction of energy use by 75%; reduction of per capita water use by 75%; treatment of sewage and wastewater on-site to swimmable quality, and recycling, reusing or composting at least 50% of waste. To accomplish these and other goals, the Ecovillage incorporates a wide range of “green design” elements including passive solar heating, and photovoltaic panels. Roof-top capture of rainwater contributes to landscape irrigation and production of fruits and vegetables.

SENS House includes energy Monitoring facilities, and multiple types of clean energy sources. These include solar tracking, PV, and solar-thermal hot water. A demonstration wind turbine tops stevenson building, where students can monitor energy output from the turbine.

Dining Services labels food that is locally sourced, and hosts information stations about local foods, including dairy and meats.

Many tree species on campus are labeled, plants used by grounds are typically native to the area. No pesticides are used on grounds.

There is a Student-Staff-Faculty Fair Trade Committee that focuses on sustainability along with labor equity in purchasing.

The College leads experimental car and ride share programs into standardization for faculty, staff, and students. Use of these programs typically beats national averages.

Recycling Bins are present and labeled in all campus buildings. Compost is labeled and available in dining services and some other areas of campus.

Rainwater is used to flush toilets in some main campus buildings. Water conservation methods are posted in bathrooms throughout the campus.

SENS House is a 4 person communal house used as a model for shared governance and communal living. Also, students working for the office of Sustainability engage in the process of continuous improvement, helping reduce wasted energy (human and electrical) in processes.

All Berea Students come from the lower income quarterly and Berea has a continuing commitment to interracial and intercultural education.

There is a sustainable investment committee, which engages college financial departments to ensure sustainability in all college investments.

We have 3 college-community partnerships, partnerships which partner between faculty and community to engage in public awareness and engagement in sustainability initiatives.

A core part the first year experience for students on campus is a 'FRESH START" program which focuses on 8 dimensions of wellness one of which is sustainability, though each of the other 7 also tie into sustainability of lifestyle and community health.

The Art department hosts at least 2 environment and sustainability art displays. Displays include wetland, mountaintop removal, and other local and regional sustainability initiative programs/issues.