College of the Atlantic, located in coastal Bar Harbor, Maine, provides many opportunities for students to work on sustainability issues, which is part of why it is Princeton Review’s #1 green college.
For the seventh year in a row, College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor is No. 1 on Princeton Review’s list of Top 50 Green Colleges.
The school’s green distinctions are many. Actions to reduce its footprint as part of a long-term strategy include phasing out single-use plastics; reducing, recycling and composting waste; transitioning to renewable sources; sourcing food sustainably; and using non-toxic cleaning products.
Under construction now is a 12,000-square-foot dormitory designed to passive house principles, featuring airtight construction, a high-efficiency envelope, heat-recovery ventilation, mass-timber construction, wood-fiber insulation and a rooftop solar array.
Recent green initiatives include construction of a 30,000-square-foot academic center designed according to passive house principles, including site selection, solar orientation, use of local and recycled materials and onsite renewable energy.
