The Sustainability Demonstration House (SDH) is a 1950s home retrofitted to be net-zero energy and have no landfill waste. Saturday, Sep. 30, the house will be open from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. for the public to learn about the current systems of the house, and what impact it has on the community.
Located at 21680 Woodland Road, near East McNair Hall, the SDH features many sustainable projects and will have interactive demonstrations at the open house. According to a current tenant of the Sustainability Demonstration House, Ellie Rizk, “Learning about sustainability is incredibly relevant for every area of study and can be applied to any interest.”
Major features of the SDH include solar power, water efficiency, composting, aquaponics, hydroponics, landfill diversion, and even a honeybee hive. These projects and more will be open to the public at the open house, with current tenants available to interact and answer questions from the community. There will also be fun sustainability games.
House tenant Kellin Gässer added, “The beauty of sustainability is that it can be practiced in various degrees, and anyone can implement it into their lives, even if it is as simple as mindfulness when buying and consuming. While it may not be feasible for every person or residence to have an aquaponics system, anyone can wash their clothes in cold water or turn off lights when they’re not in use. We like to make sustainability approachable!”
In addition to learning more about sustainability, students can also attend to see if they are interested in applying to be a future tenant. Openings for house residence begin fall 2024, and applications will be accepted this semester. When asked about the experience of living in the Sustainability Demonstration House, Rizk said, “It’s reassuring to see just how many people are passionate about taking initiative in their own lives. Living here has sparked more conversations about sustainable habits than I’ve ever had before. It’s brought a lot of hope to my perspective.”
Further information can be found by emailing sdh@mtu.edu. The Sustainability Demonstration House can also be found on Facebook at Michigan Tech Sustainability Demonstration House and Instagram at mtu.sdh.
