MILLINOCKET, MAINE—New England Outdoor Center (NEOC) recently opened six new luxury guest houses built to meet the Gold level for LEED, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. Three additional units in the Coveside Guest Houses project will be built this fall.
Each guest house features three private bedrooms, two private baths, a living room, modern kitchen, patio and sunroom. Located on the shores of Millinocket Lake, the guest houses offer modern, luxury accommodation with easy access to rafting, hiking, paddling, fishing, wildlife viewing and other outdoor adventure activities.
“This is the first project of its kind in the state,” says owner Matt Polstein. “We wanted to upgrade and expand our facilities, but do it in a way that continued our tradition of being good environmental stewards and a supporter of Maine-based businesses.”
Wood Accessed Locally
The guest houses boast numerous features inside and out that contribute to the LEED ratings and showcase the craftsmanship of Maine workers. Almost all the wood used is from within 200 miles of the project site, and most is from Maine. This includes pine vanities made from trees that were killed in a fire years ago on the property and have been salvaged, recycled and reused for this and other projects throughout the resort.
NEOC’s resident carpenter, 72-year-old Carl Ambrose, a retired mill worker and artisan, built the vanities and other resort staff constructed the beds from local pine. Mike Brown, a cabinetmaker from the area, contributed to the interior finishes as did Moosehead Furniture, which supplied the kitchen tables and chairs.
The guest houses all feature cementitious fiber shingles, heat recovery and ventilation systems that meet requirements for EPA’s Energy Star program, numerous Energy Star appliances, radiant heat and efficient ceiling fans. Low-VOC paints and non-allergenic, mold-proof carpeting were used to protect indoor air quality.
LEED: Template for Construction
“I was pleased that for the level of initial investment, we have extremely efficient guest houses made with, and through local support and materials,” Polstein said. “This will provide a return on our investment through energy savings, with an added dividend of high interior air quality and comfortable living. We went with LEED on the project because in addition to being the right thing to do for the planet, it offers a template for construction that supports businesses and we’re trying to help boost and diversify our local economy.”
The eco-friendly measures don’t stop with the guest houses; Polstein’s chefs try to buy as much produce from local farmers as possible. He often harvests chanterelle mushrooms for dishes that appear on the resort’s menus. Polstein also tries to incorporate an educational element
into the activities throughout the resort. Showing people that lodging can be done sustainably without sacrificing quality and that tourism can thrive alongside Maine’s traditional forest-products industry are concepts illustrated daily at NEOC.
“Travelers are increasingly looking for getaways that offer sustainable options and often will pay more for green attributes,” Polstein says. “Hopefully this will attract even more tourists to our area and showcase the great outdoors and hospitality we have in the unique and spectacular Katahdin region.”
Go to NEOC.
