Welcome to the OHIO Ecohouse

 

The Sustainable Housing Choice at Ohio University

The OHIO Ecohouse is a residence at OHIO University that offers both undergraduate and graduate students the chance to lessen their impact on the Earth while living in beautiful Athens, Ohio.  Any student who is eligible to live off-campus can apply to live in the Ecohouse.  There is no expectation of previous sustainability experience, only a desire to live lighter on the Earth.

Project Mission

Is to demonstrate affordable green technology and sustainable living in order to inform, engage and inspire both residents and visitors. The OHIO Ecohouse is not just a place – it is a dynamic education experience which promotes critical thinking and tangible actions toward sustainability.

Living and Learning Experience

Each semester, the residents register for a one-credit seminar that allows them to engage in discussions about sustainability, environmental leadership, and living a sustainable lifestyle.­ A background in sustainability is not required for residents; merely a willingness to learn.­ Each resident is required, through the previously mentioned seminar, to complete one or more projects each semester that increases their own connection to living a sustainable lifestyle.­ In the past, such projects have included soap making, creating natural beauty products, preparing and preserving local foods, performing energy audits, and repurposing waste plastic into viable building materials.

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It is Ohio University's intention for the house to serve as a living laboratory for its residents and our students, faculty, staff, and community.­ We hope that this project will allow others to understand that living sustainably is not a radical effort and does not require compromising your desires to have a well-maintained home.­ Quite the contrary! Living a sustainable lifestyle is attainable for any individual, and we are committed to increasing awareness of how to reduce one's impact on the environment through daily lifestyle.

Unique Opportunity

The OHIO Ecohouse is currently the only residence at Ohio University that offers students the chance to focus on sustainable behaviors.­ Any student eligible to live off-campus is invited to apply to live in the house to further their knowledge of and investment in sustainable living.­ No experience with sustainability is required; residents merely must have an interest in learning more.­ Residents engage in a variety of exciting activities and workshops to enhance their sustainable living skills.­ The OHIO Ecohouse is managed by the Office of Sustainability.­ Rent­ fees go toward utilities and ­maintenance of the building (including overhead costs).

Benefits of living in the OHIO Ecohouse:

  • Affordable rent (approximately $650 per month, utilities included except internet/cable tv)
  • A unique living-learning environment
  • Large yard
  • Free garden plot(s)­ and­ gardening resources/tools for all residents
  • Covered side porch
  • Fully furnished home with exciting sustainable technologies such as high-efficient appliances, solar power, composting, and more!
  • Regular meetings with Office of Sustainability staff to assist with your sustainable living experience
  • Professional development­ and/or job search ­support (with emphasis on the "green economy")
  • Every room has a bed with its mattress, a desk, a chair, a nightstand, a dresser, and a closet. 

For Potential Residents:

Read about a former Ecohouse resident, Paola Sofia Muñoz Gamboa, in a Voinovich newsletter article.