wolf ridge elf award for clean energy living building challenge MAC Lodge

Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Clean Energy Community Award

April 7, 2018 By In Awards No Comments

More and more communities, organizations, and individuals are trying to figure out how they can get energy efficiency and renewable energy projects done. Wolf Ridge’s local community of Finland, which is officially called the “Town of Crystal Bay” recently won the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Clean Energy Community Award!

“Our state is a national leader in clean energy initiatives. We want to continue that momentum, and these communities are helping to lead the way,” said Commerce Commissioner Jessica Looman.

Together, the Department of Commerce and the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) present the CECA Achievement Awards to up to five Minnesota communities each spring. Designed to showcase and support the efforts of Minnesota’s communities, the Achievement Awards also foster a network of communications for sharing best practices among communities from around the state.

To quantify Crystal Bay’s efforts, the town identified the total solar photovoltaic installations within the township as 128.866 kW. Wolf Ridge provides a large portion of that capacity, 83.5 kW. With an estimated population of 456, the total calculates out to 282.6 watts per capita – enough for Crystal Bay to claim itself the solar capital of the continental United States!

The award also recognizes several renewable and conservation building and lifestyle designs taking root around town. Wolf Ridge’s innovative Living Building Challenge design and construction techniques were held up as examples of what can be done, along with Finland’s Claire Nelson Community Center.

Peter Harris, David Abazs, and MAC Lodge architect Patrick Thibaudeau of HGA represented Wolf Ridge.

We are proud to be part of the Finland community, and to be working together for a clean energy future!

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ABOUT WOLF RIDGE

Founded in 1971, Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center was the first environmental learning center in the nation to be accredited as a K-12 school and is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in environmental education.

During the school year, more than 15,000 children, teachers and parent chaperones head to our campus to have their own adventure in learning. Our students come from all over, from more than 165 schools in communities across Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin because of our unique location – located south of the Boundary Waters and overlooking the North Shore of Minnesota’s Lake Superior.

THE LIVING BUILDING CHALLENGE AT WRELC

Wolf Ridge is transforming the West Dorm into the new Margaret A Cargill Lodge. The entire renovation will conform to the highest international standard for sustainable building, a standard known as the Living Building Challenge (LBC). As of 2014, only 230 LBC buildings exist in the world. The standard is very tough – it requires net zero energy usage, recycling of water, etc. (This standard is more rigorous than even the very good LEED platinum standard). This building can be a national model and a teaching tool for students and visitors to Wolf Ridge.

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