Environmental Management and Technology  
at Merritt College  
The Environmental Center and Self-Reliant House

The Environmental Center has been built entirely by students and faculty of the Environmental
Studies Program. Charles Ford (Emeritus), former director of the Merritt College Environmental
Program, and Merritt College students and volunteers began construction on this building in
September 1982. California Conservation Corps members and professional crews also worked on
the buildings and grounds. Students in the Green Building and Ecological Design course continually
add to the buildings. Functions: Environmental Studies Program office space, classroom, laboratory
and Watershed Center.
Learn more about Merritt's Environmental Management and Technology program
Degree and Certificate programs in Environmental Management and Technology
Environmental Sciences classes and class schedules
Programs and centers that utilize the SRH facility
The faculty and staff of the Environmental Studies program
Learn how you can volunteer in the environmental programs in our area
Information about careers in the environmental, green, and ecological fields
Additional resources about environmental sciences programs, clubs, collaborations, and affiliations
Contact the Merritt College department of environmental management and technology
© Merritt College Environmental Program | 12500 Campus Drive, Oakland, CA 94619
Info at 510-434-3840 or email ecomerritt@peralta.edu.
Merritt College Environmental Management and Technology Program
Merritt College Environmental Center and Self-Reliant House, Oakland, California

The center was designed to demonstrate ways
to improve the sustainability of existing
suburban homes. Various features of
ecological design include heavy insulation and
weatherizing; energy-saving replacement
windows; high-efficiency lighting and space
heating; "passive" photovoltaic panels that
power some office equipment; "active" and
"passive" solar water heaters; recycled and
sustainably-harvested materials such as floor
tiles, carpet, cabinetry, countertops, decking,
fencing, benches, and door, window, and
baseboard trim; and reycled office furniture.
The grounds around the center offer the
opportunity for on-going experiments in edible
landscaping, drought-resistant planting, hot
composting and basic composting, and fire
and native vegetation management. The
"Resourceful Showcase," donated by the
Alameda County Waste Management Authority,
arrived at the Environmental Center in summer
of 2004 and demonstrates current green and
ecologically-sustainable building materials.
The Environmental Center was profiled in the San Francisco Chronicle on January 17, 2004. Visit
the San Francisco Chronicle's archives online to view the article "Self-Reliance at Home" by Eve
Kushner. The Oakland Tribune also ran an article featuring the Environmental Center on March 20,
2005, titled "Green House: Builders Raise the Roof on Eco-Friendly Homes." Visit the Oakland
Tribune archives at www.insidebayarea.com/businessnews for the article.