Ecotopian Colby

Hillside dorms have been replaced with new, energy-efficient housing that is built right into the hill, utilizing geothermal heating. These dormitories offer home-style living and environmentally friendly living. Each house has gardens that allow residents to produce their own produce. One of the houses offers a pet daycare, where students can work by taking care of local pets. The house has an area for dogs and an area for cats, a so-called “cattery”, and the controlled use of cats for pest management is organized throughout the campus, where students can borrow cats to kill mice and rats that might live in dorms.

The Lodge is a new space on campus for diversity, equity, and inclusion. The building uses recycled materials and thicker walls to decrease energy consumption and impacts of construction as well as has composting toilets. It will also have a rooftop garden. Lastly it will have a cafe area and a first floor that can serve as a meeting space for community events with both the Colby and the Waterville community.

The Nelson Center for Science and the Environment, named for Gaylord Nelson, is a new science building that is focused on climate research. A weather station exists and monitors from the roof, and a public app will be released following the building, that provides air quality measurements, barometric pressures, and other measurements for all to look at. With this new building came an increase in funding for climate science.

The Abbey Quadrangle is made up of the Edward Abbey Dormitories, as well as Bixler and the Museum of Art. The quadrangle includes dormitories for upperclassmen apartments. This building is LEED-certified and promotes community living. Built with sustainable materials, and using more efficient heating and cooling systems, the quadrangle is a comfortable and sustainable place for upperclassmen.

This is a farm to help the dining halls have more local food, reduce emissions, and ensure the sustainable production of our food. An agriculture course has been created where students can learn about agriculture and do work on the farm. Students can volunteer on the farm, or there are classes in the fall and spring that will teach agriculture and will have weekly labs on the farm.

An anaerobic digester was installed on campus in 2028, in order to allow for the sustainable use of waste products that are created on campus. Previously, these waste products were not able to offer any important contribution. Now, biogas is produced by the digester, allowing for the sustainable creation of fuels for campus.

The Carson dorm, named after Rachel Carson, is a new dorm with suite-style living. It is focused on environmental and conscientious living. There is a grassy roof where students can plant flowers alongside a small community garden. Students are able to grow their own fresh food and can get a snack without leaving their own building!

Campus parking lots have solar panels installed on top of parking spots. The new solar farm includes the oval on the end of the green, by The Lodge, putting to better use an area that was not used often previously. These solar panels installed around campus are able to power more than 60% of all campus activities. Solar panels are present over Eustis Lot, Mary Low lot, and the new parking garage on the Northwest side of campus.

The downtown dorms have had new energy-efficient solar panels installed to help power the building, allowing up to 50% of total power to be from the solar system. The first floor of the downtown dorms offers housing for refugees sanctuary for any refugees displaced by the climate.

Johnson Pond is a staple of Colby's campus. Student environmental programs created Johnson Pond Day in 2026. It is a yearly clean-up of the pond, keeping it clean and allowing students to swim. The biodiversity and health of the pond are ensured by allowing student recreational activity in only one area by the Johnson Pond houses. Students enjoy ice skating in the winter. A new appreciation for the pond was found following the implementation of Johnson Pond Day.

Updates to the Mudd, Keyes, Arey, and Olin complex have been undertaken in the past 15 years, offering modern laboratory spaces. Solar panels have been installed on the roofs that offer 65% of the total power used by these science buildings

The Foss dining hall focuses on serving vegetarian, vegan, halal, and kosher foods. The food served is as local as possible, with much of the fruits and vegetables coming from Colby's own organic farm. Food not from the farm comes from Colby's partnerships with local farms, where students are able to learn more about sustainable agriculture.