2008 Woodie Awards
UMaine to get greener village
Students call for 'eco-charette'
Sam Cohen
Issue date: 4/21/08 Section: News
"The idea has to be systematic," Markides said. "An engineer will not be able to give a garden beauty and a gardener will not be able to build a garden. We need everyone's gifts for such a project."
The idea for the eco-charrette came from architect Richard Graves of WBRC Architects-Engineers, Inc. and a board member of the U.S. Green Building Council. He will be coordinating the event with Markides.
The office of UMaine's vice-president for Administration and Finance, Division of Student Affairs, Auxiliary Services and the Peace Studies Program are covering the event's expenses.
Ideally, the building will house up to 20 students. The building will have six identical units each with three bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom, living room and will be retrofit with inexpensive local materials, according to Markides.
In charge of the financial aspect of this plan is John Kastelein, senior sociology major and leader of the project's business team. According to Kastelein, he is exploring different funding opportunities like outside grants, sustainable design contests, and UMaine alumni grants but the funding is still in development.
"We're not calling this a dorm. We're calling it a living and learning residential community building. The whole idea here is to promote community," Markides said. "It becomes a whole different thing when students grow and cook their own food together."
Markides would like to see the building join the Recreation Center and Wells Commons, among others, in meeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. LEED buildings ensure environmentally healthy sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
Markides wants a geothermal system installed under the York Village Parking Lot to provide energy for the building. According to Markides, a UMaine faculty member created the same geothermal energy system which would be used for this project, and it has paid itself off after two years.
The idea for the eco-charrette came from architect Richard Graves of WBRC Architects-Engineers, Inc. and a board member of the U.S. Green Building Council. He will be coordinating the event with Markides.
The office of UMaine's vice-president for Administration and Finance, Division of Student Affairs, Auxiliary Services and the Peace Studies Program are covering the event's expenses.
Ideally, the building will house up to 20 students. The building will have six identical units each with three bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom, living room and will be retrofit with inexpensive local materials, according to Markides.
In charge of the financial aspect of this plan is John Kastelein, senior sociology major and leader of the project's business team. According to Kastelein, he is exploring different funding opportunities like outside grants, sustainable design contests, and UMaine alumni grants but the funding is still in development.
"We're not calling this a dorm. We're calling it a living and learning residential community building. The whole idea here is to promote community," Markides said. "It becomes a whole different thing when students grow and cook their own food together."
Markides would like to see the building join the Recreation Center and Wells Commons, among others, in meeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. LEED buildings ensure environmentally healthy sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
Markides wants a geothermal system installed under the York Village Parking Lot to provide energy for the building. According to Markides, a UMaine faculty member created the same geothermal energy system which would be used for this project, and it has paid itself off after two years.
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