VIDEO | Gardner Builders, Doing it Differently

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.

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.