James Ramey wants to change the way Ohio State thinks about student housing.

Ramey, a graduate student in public administration, has proposed the creation of what he calls an “ecohood.”

The Web site of the Global Ecovillage Network defines ecovillages as communities of people who strive to integrate a supportive social environment with a low-impact way of life.

The ecohood would be a student-housing community consisting of 10 to 40 townhouses and focusing on sustainability. OSU suggested the gravel parking lot between 10th Avenue and 11th Avenue as a building site. Ramey thinks that is a great place to build housing for the future.

Ramey said that the project wouldn’t just be about changing toilets and light switches. It’s about creating an ecovillage.

The ecohood would include ecological design, alternative energy and green building practices.

Ramey envisions the project as an experiment in three parts.

First, it would serve as an alternative energy-testing facility.

“OSU already does a lot of work with alternative energy,” Ramey said.

Second, Ramey sees the ecohood as an experiment about sustainable decision-making.

Finally, he hopes that the project could be used as a model for other communities outside the university setting.

“It could serve as a bridge between the university and other communities,” Ramey said.

Ramey is talking to the university about implementation of the ecohood and believes that conditions are favorable.

The OSU Sustainability Advisory Group recommended that OSU “make the funding of sustainability initiatives a university development goal, focusing on ‘signature’ sustainability projects that demonstrate innovative practices.” An ecovillage would fall under this recommendation.

Ramey is aware that OSU plans to expand student housing significantly by 2012, and he wants to see the money used for sustainable living.

“They’re going to expand housing for students anyway,” Ramey said.

“They’re going to spend money no matter what.”

Ramey is in discussions with various university staff members.

“I had a meeting with Laura Shinn,” Ramey said of the director of development planning. “She really liked the idea.”

Shinn was unavailable for comment.

Aparna Dial, director of energy services and sustainability, also thinks the plan shows promise.

The ecohood project was originally developed for the Planning Innovations competition in professor Kyle Ezell’s urban planning course. It won first place.

Ezell, a certified city planner, has been running the competition for several years now.

“It’s to help the city of Columbus come up with a really great idea that Columbus can implement,” Ezell said.

Walker Evans, founder of Columbus Underground, was one of the competition judges.

“I liked it because it was unique and also realistic,” he said. “I’d love to see it happen.”

More information is available at osuecohood.com.