Remaining townhouses from Carleton’s Student Life and Housing Plan receive official passive housing certification
The certification recognizes building design that improves comfort and energy efficiency.
All of the townhouses constructed as part of Carleton’s Student Life and Housing Plan, which aims to create more equitable and community-focused residential and learning spaces, are now officially PHIUS certified.
PHIUS (Passive House Institute, U.S.) is the leading passive building certification program in North America. The organization certifies housing projects that use design to minimize energy use. Requirements include airtightness, window comfort, and moisture and thermal designs that increase energy efficiency while reducing costs.
The College’s five Lilac Hill townhouses, Neil House, and the Multicultural Center, built during Phase I of the Student Life and Housing Plan, were PHIUS certified in Spring 2025. The remaining buildings certified this fall include Hodgson House, Watanabe House, and Sundem House.
Hodgson is the new home of the Gender and Sexuality Center, the Office of International Student Life, and the QTBIPOC and Rainbow student interest houses. It is named for Jane Elizabeth Hodgson ’34, a women’s rights advocate whose career focused on providing reproductive care.
Watanabe holds the College’s new Atlas interest house themed around global cultures. This living and learning community focused on cultural sharing and global awareness is named for Tsune Watanabe, Class of 1891, the first international student to receive a Carleton degree.
Sundem, which is next door to Dacie Moses House, is a draw space for student residents. This townhouse is named in recognition of a transformational gift by Carleton Trustee Emeritus Gary Sundem ’67 and Elizabeth Sundem ’68.
All PHIUS-certified buildings are designed to use 69 percent less energy annually than similar buildings built to meet current energy code standards. The energy efficient design includes exterior walls that are over a foot thick to minimize air infiltration and leakage.
Learn more about Carleton’s Student Life and Housing Plan.
Erica Helgerud ’20 is the news and social media manager for Carleton College.