UNITY — Unity College will host a presentation on the first student residence on an American college campus built to the Passive House standards, the highest standards for building efficiency.

The presentation will feature the primary designers, Matthew O’Malia, architect; Alan Gibson, principal of Belfast-based GO Logic and Ann Kearsley, landscape architect of Portland-based Ann Kearsley Design.

The presentation will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. April 13 at the Unity College Centre for the Performing Arts, 4 Depot St. Admission is free and open to the public.

Named TerraHaus, the residence hall slated to be constructed to Passive House standards will house 10 students and be ready for occupancy for the 2011-12 academic year. It will not only house students, but will also serve as the focus of curricular and co-curricular programming and act as a living laboratory for sustainability education.

This residence is modeled to use the equivalent of 50-75 gallons of oil per year for space heating, less than 10 percent of the heating load for a home this size in Maine’s climate. In zero degree weather, the heating load could be met with a standard hair dryer.

It will achieve a level of efficiency from superior air sealing, super-insulation and solar orientation.

Unity College, the Unity Energy Committee and the Environmental Citizen: Passive House class are sponsors of this event.