Williams College

Table of Contents

Tours

  1. Sustainability Tour

    Take this tour to learn about Williams' sustainability initiatives around campus.

    Stops

    1. Class of '66 Environmental Center

      Dedicated in 2015, the college’s new environmental center is a living laboratory for sustainability and home to the Center for Environmental Studies and the Zilkha Center for Environmental Initiatives

       

      With a classroom, meeting and study spaces, a reading room, kitchen, and gardens, the center’s development has combined sustainable building practices, historic preservation, and extensive urban agriculture. The college is seeking Living Building Challenge designation for the center, the most rigorous performance standard for sustainable design. To request a tour of the building click here.

       

      Williams' new environmental center

    2. Berry Patch

    3. Parsons Garden

      The Sustainable Garden Project was established by the Williams College Sustainable Growers with the assistance of the Sustainable Food and Agriculture Program.


      The garden grows more than 80 varieties of vegetables and herbs, including many heirloom varieties donated from neighboring farms.


      82 Mission Park Drive
      Williamstown, MA 01267

    4. Recycling Collection Site

      Scrap metal, plastic, glass, aluminum, and batteries/electronics are aggregated at this location before being sent to either Weistman’s in Albany, NY or TAM in Pownal, VT. 
    5. Residence Hall Compost Pilot

    6. Garfield House Renovations

      Renovation project currently in planning phase.

      The Garfield House Project is being designed as a high-performance wood framed building using the “Passive House” design criteria and philosophy. This represents the most stringent energy performance criteria in the industry today and focuses heavily on a well-insulated airtight envelope, high performance windows, and high efficiency energy recovery 
    7. Brooks House

      Brooks House is the home for the Center for Learning in Action, which cultivates experiential learning opportunities for students by connecting them to the community. One of the programs funded by the Center is Williams Recovery of All Perishable Surplus, which donates leftover dining hall food to local shelters. 

       

      It is also student housing for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. There are three common rooms: two on the first floor and one on the ground floor, where the kitchen is located. Brooks is a part of Spencer neighborhood and has 12 doubles and four singles.

    8. Morley Science Labs

      Morley Scientific Laboratory houses chemistry and biology laboratories. It is part of the Science Center and supports Williams’ sustainability goals through its roof-mounted PV solar array.

       

      31 Morley Drive

      Williamstown, MA 01267

    9. Heating Plant

      The Williams College Central Heating Plant is a combined heat and power plant that supplies steam for comfort heating and domestic hot water to approximately 90 percent of the college campus. It uses natural gas as a fuel source to produce steam, the excess of which is used to create electricity. 

      The plant is under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety.

      50 Heating Plant Drive

      Williamstown, MA 01267

    10. Public Transportation in Williamstown (BRTA)

    11. Hollander Rain Garden

    12. Conclusion

      This is the final stop on our Sustainability Tour!