USM to break ground on its eco-friendly residence hall in Portland The energy-efficient and partly solar-powered dorm and similar planned building projects will help USM meet its goal of being carbon neutral by 2040 Author: Cindy Williams (NEWS CENTER Maine) Published: 6:02 PM EDT April 21, 2021 Updated: 6:02 PM EDT April 21, 2021 PORTLAND, Maine — The University of Southern Maine (USM) is committed to the goal of being a carbon-neutral campus by the year 2040. Next month, it will break ground on its first residence hall for the Portland Campus, and it will be built to passive house standards. That means it will energy-efficient, partly solar-powered, and will produce only half the carbon of a regular dorm. It will feature sustainable landscaping, recycling, and waste minimization.