Over the summer, long-planned renovations to the first year residence Stewart Hall began. The renovations will update aging facilities in the dormitory as well as support Middlebury’s Energy2028 initiative by installing an energy-efficient geothermal HVAC system.
In an email to The Campus, Associate Dean for Student Life AJ Place said that renovations to Stewart are planned to finish come springtime.
Approval from the Board of Trustees for the Stewart Hall renovations came in a Feb. 2025 release that emphasized the need to update old infrastructure and support Energy2028 initiatives. The report also mentioned the school’s ability to house students in both the new and original Battell Halls for the 2025-2026 school year before the original Battell is torn down as a reason to proceed with the renovations.
Energy2028 is Middlebury’s long-term initiative to source 100% of energy from renewables, reduce energy consumption by 25% by 2028 and divest the endowment from fossil fuel investments by 2032.
The work being done to Stewart is part of a larger series of building-by-building renovations seeking to maximize energy efficiency and reduce campus carbon emissions. Similar work has been completed on Munroe Hall, Warner Hall and the Christian A. Johnson Memorial building, according to a 2024 midway report on Energy2028’s progress.
However, Stewart Hall will be Middlebury’s first 100% geothermal energy building on main campus, contributing significantly to Energy2028’s progress, according to Place.
Sustainability Solutions Lab intern Isabella Aroesty ’26 described the geothermal HVAC system and stated that it will decrease the hall’s energy usage.
“Stewart Hall just had a Geothermal Heat Pump (GHP) system installed this past summer, meaning it will no longer be primarily heated on the district steam system. This system will reduce energy consumption by using thermal energy from the ground to help heat + cool the building,” she wrote.
Facilities were unable to specify by what amount energy usage and carbon emissions are projected to decrease as a result of the Stewart renovations.
Throughout the year, they have completed several small projects that will further Energy2028.
“Facilities is doing a fantastic job of doing the smaller, less appealing retrofitting projects that will help us meet our Energy2028 goals, such as changing lightbulbs and monitoring energy usage,” Tara Federoff, assistant director of communications and outreach at the Franklin Environmental Center at Hillcrest Tara Federoff said.
For an overall Energy2028 update, in the 2024 report, energy usage from renewables had risen from 59% in 2019 to 72% in 2024. Energy usage is now down 12% from 2019, with the opening of the new Battell Hall — which is far more energy efficient than the original — and the Stewart renovations expected to further decrease campus-wide usage.
The endowment’s fossil fuel exposure has dropped 34% since 2019, down from 5.2% in 2019 to 3.4% in 2024. Divestment from fossil fuel related investments is on schedule to be completed by 2032.
More renovations to Stewart include “new windows, the addition of an elevator and updated life safety system, a new kitchen for the lower level game room, and new bathrooms which will copy the new Battell style of individually contained units that include a toilet, shower and sink along with some community sinks,” Place wrote.
Further changes will focus on making the residence hall more accessible. The building grade will be changed, making the entrance on the East side of the building wheelchair friendly. Some rooms will have widened doorways and the lower game room will be made accessible with a ramp. Public bathrooms, the laundry room, custodial closets and storage rooms will also be reconfigured with accessibility in mind, according to Place.
Floor layouts and individual dorm rooms will be mostly unchanged with the exception of replacing inefficient windows. First floor office space will grow slightly, with one dorm room converting to an extra office.
Luke James Power '28 (he/him) is a News Editor.
Luke previously served as a contributing writer and as a news editor of "The Anvil" Middlesex school. He is majoring in economics and history. He is also a senior analyst with the Middlebury Student Investment Committee, and enjoys skiing, squash, and golf. He lives in Manhasset, NY.
