Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 50.11
Liaison Justin Mog
Submission Date Jan. 21, 2011
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.0

University of Louisville
Tier2-3: Model Room in a Residence Hall

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.25 / 0.25 Justin Mog
Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability Initiatives
Office of the Provost
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have an occupied, formally designated model room in a residence hall that is open to students during regular hours and demonstrates sustainable living principles?:
Yes

A brief description of the model room:

UofL's model Green Dorm Room opened in Louisville Hall in Fall 2009 but was first developed as a challenge to 10 students in Jamie Horwitz's Spring 2009 Sustainable Architecture course. At the request of Russ Barnett, director of research and development for the Kentucky Institute for the Environment and Sustainable Development, these students gave their input to design the room as a model of sustainable living on campus.

Turning the students' conceptual design into an actual dorm room was made possible with a $5,000 grant from Arts and Sciences Dean Blaine Hudson.

Certain features distinguish this room from any other on campus. These differences are much more sustainable and aesthetically pleasing:
- The floors are made of bamboo, a faster-growing and more sustainable alternative than wood, synthetic flooring or carpet.
- One wall is covered in clay, a natural building material which has insulating properties, improves air quality by catching dust, and is easier to repair and maintain. Large windows let in plenty of natural light, eliminating the need to use electric lights during the day.
- A ceiling fan helps regulate temperatures more efficiently.
- A low-flow showerhead and toilet, as well as an aerator on the faucet, has cut water use by about 50 percent.
With high ceilings, large windows and the several distinctive "green" characteristics, the room is more like a modern, innovative, energy efficient living space than a typical dorm.

Residents of the model green dorm room participate actively in the Housing Green Committee, act as sustainability leaders within the community, and welcome tours to demonstrate sustainable living principles.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn7Fw3Kd3GM

Read more about the student design process at: http://php.louisville.edu/news/news.php?news=1374

Read more about the experience of living in UofL's model green dorm room: http://louisville.edu/uofltoday/campus-news/uofl-green-scene-living-green-and-loving-it


The website URL where information about the model room in the residence hall is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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