Sustainability Trail

From 2011-2012, New London Hall underwent an extensive sustainable renovation and extension. The installation of a geothermal system made the building the first on our campus fully heated and cooled by a renewable energy source. Other sustainable feature include high-efficiency lighting and laboratory hoods, water saving plumbing, and the reuse of historic wood trim and doors. The building was certified LEED Gold by the US Green Building Council in 2013.

Located next to the Crozier Williams Student Center, the Lillian Niederman Garden is an example of an "old field," an
open landscape dominated by meadow grasses and flowers, periodically interrupted by scattered drifts of trees and shrubs. Commonly occurring after agricultural abandonment, they are one of the signature landscapes of New England, and reflect both the agricultural and ecological heritage of the region. Today old field habitats have become increasingly rare, an unfortunate development, as they are crucial to the survival of many species of insects, mammals and particularly birds. 

A bequest from Miriam Harris ’55 established this garden in her mother’s memory. It was designed by award-winning ecological landscape designer Larry Weaner and planted in 2012.

Sprout Garden is a space in which students can practice gardening and gain hands on experience with sustainable, small-scale agriculture. Sprout strives to build community and empower individuals by planting, growing, and sharing ethically produced food. Originally planted in 2004 on the east side of campus, the garden moved to this location in 2011. It was expanded to over half an acre in 2019 through a partnership with the Botany Department. Food from the fully-functioning farm can be found on our dining and catering services and for sale at a local farmers market.

The Camel's Reef project, led by Professor Maria Rosa, uses reef balls to minimize erosion and buffer wave activity that could cause damage to our docks and boats. Reef balls are created by pouring marine-friendly concrete into molds to create a hollow center and voids for marine life to grow in. Our reef balls were constructed on campus by students, faculty and commnunity volunteers. The first reef balls were deployed into the Thames River in October 2021. 

We thank the following funders for their support for Camel's Reef: The Reef Ball Foundation, No Shoes Reefs, Deep-Ocean Apparel, Bennack Polan Foundation, 11th Hour Raching and the Schmidt Family Foundation, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, the Louise H. and David S. Ingalls Foundation, and Dominion Energy - Millstone Power Station. 

 

Completed in 2009, the fitness center is a LEED Silver building. The project included approximately square feet of new construction and a renovation of an existing building and lobby. Sustainable features include daylight sensors to reduce energy consumption, a high-efficiency Energy Star rated roof, and the use of environmentally preferable and regionally produced construction materials as well as low volatile organic compound (VOC) paints, sealers and adhesives.

Steel House serves as the home of our Office of Sustainability. Originally erected in 1933, the College acquired the building in 1949 and it served faculty housing for over 50 years. A historically-sensitive renovation, which involved completely disassembling the building, took place from 2011-2013. Since being reconstructed in 2013, Steel House has won several preservation awards.