McLean Environmental Living and Learning Center

The McLean Environmental Living and Learning Center, which was built in 1998, serves as a unique residential space for students and an early model for green design, before the U.S. Building Council developed its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system to rank a building’s environmental impact. The building features the latest sustainable design principles such as low-flow water fixtures, lighting occupancy sensors, and two composting toilets. Students manage the composting toilets and provide educational tours to visitors interested in bio-waste management, which reduces water pollution and converts human waste into a safe and usable fertilizer. Outside of the MELLC, a wind turbine and three photovoltaic arrays provide 6% of the building’s electricity that would otherwise be purchased from the commercial electrical grid.

Students joined architects and others on Northland College’s Master Planning Committee to select environmentally-friendly materials like recycled carpet, furniture made from recycled milk jugs and recycled steel, bio-composite material for counter-tops, windows with low-emissivity coated glass, and natural-based linoleum floors to employ the best use of resources. Other significant features include heat recovery of exhaust air, high efficiency boilers for space and water heating, and high efficiency lights. This building also hosts two theme houses, the Ecco Haus and the Moonbeam Consortium, which are both interested in providing community programming focused on various aspects of sustainability.

Sustainability Features

• Three photo-voltaic solar arrays provide efficient active solar energy collection.
• Motion sensor lighting and high efficiency light fixtures, motors, and appliances cut down on electricity.
• Two waterless composting toilets and low flow water saving fixtures throughout the building help to conserve water.
• 120-foot 20 kilowatt wind tower located at the northeast corner of the building.
• Fourteen solar panels places on the roof of the south wing preheat hot water for residential use.
• Increased insulation of walls, ceilings, and windows.
• Heat recovery of exhaust air, high efficiency boilers for space and water heating.