Weber State University announced on April 1 the opening of its Sustainable House, a newly renovated model home at 2807 Quincy Ave. designed to show residents and small business owners practical ways to improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and lower utility bills. The official opening event is scheduled for April 7 at 1:30 p.m., with university leaders and community partners expected to attend.
The initiative aims to empower local homeowners and renters by demonstrating accessible methods for reducing energy expenses while supporting environmental sustainability. The house will provide information, free materials such as LED lighting and weatherstripping (while supplies last), advice on electrification projects like heat pumps, water heaters, solar panels, and other renewable options.
Bonnie Christiansen, director of Sustainable Programs at Weber State University (WSU), said: “Weber State is bringing sector-level sustainability concepts into the residential realm. And it’s doing so in a way that’s easy to understand and apply.” Christiansen also said: “Sometimes all it takes is someone showing you what’s possible. Our goal is to educate and empower people. Sustainability involves learning about technology so we can keep our environment clean.” She added that staff can help interested individuals find funding or incentives for implementing these upgrades affordably.
The project builds on WSU’s broader sustainability strategy developed over many years. Alice Mulder, director of the Center for Research and Promotion of Sustainable Practices at Weber State (SPARC), said: “Weber State has set an example by cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by more than half. It has also saved more than $30 million since 2007 when it committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Our efforts have been so successful—both ecologically and economically—that we’ve moved up our target date for carbon neutrality by a decade; now we think we’ll reach it by 2040.” SPARC provided financial support for the house using part of a recent $2.5 million grant aimed at expanding outreach.
Christiansen said: “We want this house to be a place where honest conversations happen around the question: ‘What does Ogden-style sustainability look like?’ We want to share practices that have worked at Weber State with our neighbors in Ogden and across Utah.” The program will offer free workshops, do-it-yourself tools, guided tours of the fully electrified home, as well as personalized energy consultations.
According to the official website, Weber State University advances community transformation through civic engagement and public service while educating diverse students through supportive learning experiences on its campus near the Wasatch Mountains foothills in Ogden. As Utah’s first comprehensive regional university operating under state authorization to confer degrees,the university provides teaching, research opportunities, experiential learning programs, individualized pathways for student growth,
and promotes values such as creativity and belonging.