In May 2007, Furman broke ground for The Cliffs Cottage, an environmentally designed home that currently serves as the Southern Living Showcase Home in 2008. At the end of the showcase year, the home will be converted into the university’s new Center for Sustainability.

The Cliffs Cottage is among the first residential facilities in America to receive theLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

Its green design elements include natural building materials, a geothermal ground source heat pump, a photovoltaic system, and Energy Star-rated appliances among many other features. For a virtual tour and more information click here.

The home is surrounded by a formal garden with native plants and a large, organic vegetable garden. The gardens feature an underground cistern and fountains that collect rainwater for irrigation. The parking areas and sidewalks around the home will be constructed to minimize storm water runoff.

As part of the conversion to the Center for Sustainability, the home’s rooms will be transformed into offices, seminar rooms, exhibit spaces, and meeting rooms for environmental groups.