SACO — The Ecology School and Kaplan Thompson Architects are proud to announce that The Ecology School’s campus at River Bend Farm has been honored with a Maine Smart Growth Award from GrowSmart Maine. The prestigious annual award recognizes projects, plans and leadership across Maine that exemplify smart growth principles, including compact building design, agricultural preservation, environmental stewardship and community-centered collaboration.
Situated on a 313-acre historic farm along the Saco River, The Ecology School at River Bend Farm transformed a former agricultural estate into one of the nation’s premier environmental living and learning centers. By concentrating new construction within a compact 8.2-acre farmyard footprint, the development preserves over 300 acres of working farmland, open space, five miles of trails, one and a half miles of Saco River frontage and sensitive river corridor habitats.
ARCHITECTURAL VISION & REGENERATIVE PERFORMANCE
The realization of River Bend Farm’s award-winning campus was made possible through an extraordinary multi-firm partnership. Led by Kaplan Thompson Architects as Architect of Record, the collaborative design effort brought together Simons Architects (Dining Commons Lead), BRIBURN (Dormitory Lead) and Richardson & Associates (Landscape Architecture), along with general contractor Zachau Construction. Working in unison across firm boundaries, the team created a cohesive, human-scaled master plan that seamlessly blends traditional New England agrarian architecture with state-of-the-art building science.
Key design, performance, and certification milestones of the campus include:
● Pioneering Certifications: The campus achieved Living Community Challenge Master Plan Compliance, the first project in the world to meet this standard. The campus buildings also earned Living Building Challenge Petal Certification, representing the gold standard in sustainable architecture, and was the first in Maine to achieve this certification level.
● High-Performance Infrastructure: The 7,000-square-foot Dining Commons features an all-electric commercial kitchen and dining space for 200 guests. The 9,000-square-foot Dormitory provides treehouse-like lodging for 144 students and adults across three interconnected, ADA-accessible wings.
● Net Positive Energy: Powered by a 255kW ground- and roof-mounted ReVision Energy solar array, the fossil-fuel-free campus generates more annual electricity than it uses, sending surplus clean energy back to the grid and neighborhood.
● Net Positive Water & Closed-Loop Systems: Water is drawn from an on-site well, treated without harsh chemicals, and safely filtered on-site using an advanced SoilAir aeration leach field system. Rainwater collection tanks harvest roof runoff to irrigate produce gardens.
● Sustainable & Healthy Materials: Built to Passive House levels of airtightness, the buildings feature locally harvested, FSC-certified Maine white pine, spruce trusses, and Cross-Laminated Timber. Every material was strictly vetted to comply with the LBC Red List, ensuring a completely non-toxic environment for occupants.
“Designing a campus that produces more energy and clean water than it consumes while preserving over 300 acres of historic Maine farmland required deep trust and collaboration across our entire design and construction team,” Jesse Thompson, principal at Kaplan Thompson Architects, said “Receiving the Maine Smart Growth Award validates what is possible when design, conservation, and community education come together around a shared vision for a regenerative future.”
EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS
Winning the Maine Smart Growth Award reinforces The Ecology School’s core mission: inspiring community building, conservation best practices, and personal growth through hands-on outdoor learning, regenerative farming, and sustainable living. By operating a permanent campus that serves as a living laboratory, students and adult visitors experience firsthand how human communities can thrive in harmony with natural ecosystems.
Key impact & operational milestones:
● 28 Years of Impact: Since its founding in 1998, The Ecology School has grown from a seasonal rental program into a regional leader in experiential science education.
● Empowering Students: To date, more than 200,000 children and adults from across New England and beyond have participated in field ecology and residential programs.
● Agroecology & Food Sovereignty: Through its farming initiatives, the school grows thousands of pounds of fresh produce served directly in the Dining Commons and donated to local food banks, supported in part by a major USDA Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production grant.
● Student & Camper & Teacher Scholarship Support: The Ecology School provides over $500,000 in scholarships annually to Maine students to attend spring and fall Outdoor School programs, low-cost summer camps for children, and national teacher training institutes.
“River Bend Farm is much more than a collection of eco-friendly buildings—it is an active classroom where children and adults learn what sustainable living actually feels like,” Drew Dumsch, president and CEO at The Ecology School, said. “We are deeply honored by GrowSmart Maine’s recognition, and we look forward to welcoming our supporters, program partners, neighbors and community members to celebrate this achievement with us.”
UPCOMING GREEN BUILDING TOUR
The Ecology School invites donors, partners, and the public to visit River Bend Farm for an upcoming event to explore the campus and celebrate the Smart Growth Award and Living Building Challenge certification:
Public Green Building Campus Tour
● Date: Saturday, Nov. 21
● Time: 3–4 p.m.
● Location: The Ecology School at River Bend Farm, 184 Simpson Road, Saco, ME
● Details: A guided, behind-the-scenes walking tour highlighting the Living Building Challenge features, solar arrays, agroecology gardens and student dormitories. Free and open to the public.
● Registration: Advance registration required at: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/CANJeHWYF576Y8HaYAskDw.
The Ecology School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental living and learning center located at River Bend Farm in Saco, Maine. Through residential overnight Outdoor School programs, summer camps, agroecology initiatives, and community retreats, The Ecology School transforms how people learn about nature and their role within it. Learn more at theecologyschool.org.
Based in Portland, Maine, Kaplan Thompson Architects is an award-winning architecture firm committed to creating beautiful, sustainable, and highly resilient buildings that restore the environment and strengthen communities. Specializing in deep-green residential, educational, and multi-family design, the firm maintains a Just label through the International Living Future Institute. Learn more at kaplanthompson.com.