Williams College Unveils New Energy-Efficient Dorm

When students return to Williams College for the fall semester in a couple of weeks, some of them will find themselves staying in the newest — and most energy-efficient — residence hall on campus.

The Berkshire Eagle  reports the dorm stands on the site of Garfield House, originally a summer cottage built in 1850 on South Street by a wealthy family. By 1924 it had been refitted as a fraternity house for Delta Upsilon.

In the 1970s, it became a dorm for Williams students, but it was haunted by 1800s-era insulation, of which there was very little.

Last summer it was demolished, and in its place the school built a $9.8 million energy-efficient structure that is fully accessible to people of differing abilities.

The new Garfield House, at 16,570 square feet, will house as many as 40 students in 20 single rooms and 10 doubles.

An open house for the public will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday.

Garfield House includes a full kitchen and dining room, a bike storage room, a living room with a big screen TV, and each living pod has a separate lounging area. There are also several study nooks.