Belfast, Maine - TerraHaus, North America’s first Passive-House student dormitory located on the Unity College campus in Unity, Maine, has received the 2012 EcoHome Grand Award. EcoHome’s annual awards commend “shining examples of design solutions that provide sustainable shelter in a wide range of styles, locations and costs.” The judges created a new category of award especially for this and future entries: Student Housing, for which TerraHaus received Special Recognition. The dorm was designed and built by G•O Logic of Belfast Maine.
TerraHaus is the second passive-house certified building in Maine, following The GO Home, also built by G•O Logic. “Energy savings far outweigh up-front costs to reach the Passive House standard,” said G•O Logic Principal Matt O’Malia. “Over the long term, decreased mechanical and maintenance costs, increased building longevity, and increased comfort for occupants make the Passive House a very strong approach for a wide range of building projects.”
TerraHaus, a 2,100-square-foot residence hall, was completed on budget in a three month construction period, including the site re-development, construction and landscaping. G•O Logic principals Matthew O’Malia and Alan Gibson worked with a committee of Unity students, administrators and faculty studying and documenting the Passive House approach throughout the design and construction process. Ten students moved in last August, culminating months of immersion in the science and practice of energy-efficient design and execution. Student residents are well-versed in the new building’s features and conduct educational tours upon request.
Unity College will benefit from reduced space heating needs which translate into annual financial savings of $3,700 and environmental savings of 16 tons of carbon dioxide from release into the atmosphere. These savings come thanks to the dorm’s orientation to the sun, super-insulation, German-built triple-glazed windows, an air-tight building envelope, and a high-efficiency heat recovery ventilation system. For more information, visit http://www.gologic.us.
About G•O Logic Homes LLC
G•O Logic is an award-winning architecture and construction partnership that formed with the goal of producing Passive-House standard and “net-zero” buildings for cold climates. Principals Matthew O’Malia, an architect with 15 years experience in the U.S. and Germany, and Alan Gibson, a builder of green homes for nearly 20 years, together with their team are integrating architecture, design and building systems to create the future of highly energy-efficient, sustainable, well designed buildings. G•O Logic LLC is a member of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association and the U.S. Green Building Council.
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