Leading the Built Environment to Sustainability in Minnesota

Building capacity to create healthy environments for all people and living systems in a dynamic future.

In 2007, the Minnesota Legislature passed the Next Generation Energy Act, which required the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent between 2005 and 2050 while maintaining reliable and affordable energy. This move led to the creation of the Minnesota B3 (Buildings, Benchmarks & Beyond) Sustainable Building Guidelines. Modeled after the Architecture 2030 challenge, this program sets increasingly stringent energy targets for buildings in the program, aiming for net-zero energy use by 2030. Currently, it mandates a 90 percent reduction in energy and carbon emissions use from a 2003 baseline, achievable through a combination of efficiency measures and renewable energy generation.

Thanks to the research of Richard Graves, associate professor of architecture and research director at the Center for Sustainable Building Research (CSBR), the Minnesota B3 Sustainable Building Guidelines is a pioneering program for state-funded buildings, emphasizing measurable performance improvements. The program is continually updated with input from state agencies and industry stakeholders, and serves as a model for localized green building initiatives, including resilience, occupant well-being, and net-zero energy and carbon emissions.

Read the full article here