Sustainable Design

Hillcrest Environmental Center:

Sustainable Design and Renovation of a Historic Building

Will be LEED Certified

Soon, Middlebury's preemminent Environmental Studies program will have a new home - one that it will share with the college's Sustainable Campus and Community Based Environmnetal Studies programs. Instead of constructing a new building for its environmental programs, the College will create a model of resource and energy efficiency through the adaptive reuse of Hillcrest, an 1875 Italianate-style Vermont farmhouse.

Hillcrest will mark a new gateway in bringing Vermont vernacular and historic buildings up to the sustainability standards so critical to our future. In renovating Hillcrest, Middlebury will for the first time test the feasibility of third-party certification for its sustainable building practices by registering for LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)                                                               ....more

The buildings of the Middlebury College campus create a unique atmosphere and physical space that inspire inquiry and nurture learning.  From the use of sustainably harvested local wood to the LEED certification of the new Hillcrest Environmental Center, these buildings are also physical manifestations of the college's commitment to sustainability.

An Introduction to Green Building at Middlebury

The construction of the new science center, Bicentennial Hall, marked the beginning of an era of expansion at Middlebury College. Since its completion in 1999, seven new buildings have followed, LaForce Hall, the Ross Commons Dining Hall, and a new recycling center. In the fall of 2004, a new library and two new residence halls in Atwater Commons opened. Atwater Dining Hall, complete with a living roof, opened in January 2005.   Throughout this period of expansion, Middlebury has made a commitment to "building green." Innovative design, the use of Vermont Family Forest green certified wood, and the employment of Vermont construction, woodworking, and forestry professionals, all characterize Middlebury's building practices. The creation of the Project Review Committee, comprised of faculty, staff, and students has also helped to ensure that new construction complies with the colleges overarching mission, including its commitment to the surrounding environment as articulated in President McCardell's Peaks of Excellence.

Click here to view the PDF version of a March 2004 presentation on Sustainable Design at Middlebury.

Follow the links below to explore Middlebury's sustainable design principles and green buildings.

Atwater Commons

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Hillcrest Environmental Center

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Atwater Commons Axinn Center at Starr Library Guiding Principles Hillcrest Environmental Center Local Green Wood McCardell Bicentennial Hall New Library Ross Commons