Joe Greathouse and Jim Ott were kind enough to escort me through the first of several buildings in the Sustainable Village project at Kirkwood. The first structure (designed to be a permanent showcase of the students' work) is an open floor-plan, passive solar design. The walls are 12 inches thick and feature varying amounts of insulation for future assessment of performance. Because the building is so tightly constructed, air exchanges are warranted. Radiant in-floor heating is standard and solar hot water heating is to come. The walls feature recycled bottles (Jim informed me that you can read the labels of some bottles if you look closely) in paneling as well as state-of-the art dry wall alternatives made of recycled goods. Much of the building is courtesy of generous donors.
Not only did we discuss future purchase opportunities for the next one-bedroom home (with interior design and exterior construction by Kirkwood students), but we are contemplating how my Sociology of the Environment and Social Problems students might be able to showcase the existing sustainable village structure through their service learning projects. Additionally, I am hoping to hold classes in the sustainable village 'classroom' upon my return and to work with Jim and Joe (with my students' help) on college-wide presentations regarding how staff and students could learn (or implement) from the sustainable village efforts in future. [I am envisioning a panel with Kirkwood interior and energy technologies/construction students as well as faculty/staff presentations.]
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