No matter what the season, Northland College is covered in green. Our green buildings range from the Strawbale Energy Lab, a student-built structure that showcases alternative building techniques and operates "off the grid", to the McLean Environmental Living and Learning Center (MELLC). The MELLC, Northland’s environment residence hall, was not only built with a variety of recycled products and energy efficient materials, but was also a prototype in the development of the now widespread LEED green building standards. The campus also features two wind towers, four hot-water arrays, two photovoltaic arrays, geothermal heating and cooling in the Ponzio Campus Center, green cleaning products, furniture made from recycled materials, and super-insulated buildings. As the campus has expanded, we have recycled old buildings; two houses on campus property were sold and relocated right in Ashland.

What's New?

• Northland College has started the process of evaluating and rethinking the lighting around Northland in order to become a Dark Sky campus. This unique project will not only have far-reaching positive effects on campus, but set us apart as one of the few colleges in the United States to get on board with Dark Skies initiatives. To learn more about the International Dark Sky Association, visit their website by clicking here, or to find out how to get involved on campus with the Dark Sky project, contact Environmental Council.