Best Practice Action Detail

In November of 2021, Edina City Council adopted the Sustainable Buildings Policy, which went into effect on April 1st, 2022. In this Policy, all public/city-owned buildings which are operated by the City of Edina or the Edina Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) are required to be built following the B3 Sustainable Building 2030 Energy Standard.

2013 - Maplewood adopted the 2012 version of the International Green Construction Code for commercial buildings and the National Green Building Standards for residential buildings. The code is interpreted as the Green Building Code in place to safeguard the environment, public health, safety and general welfare through the establishment of requirements to reduce the negative impacts, and increase the positive impacts, of the built environment on the natural environment and building occupants. It includes energy and green building standards above state code and requires that all city-funded buildings comply with the requirements.

2023 - Maplewood began a review of the buildings built under the code since that time. The City found the following issues:

Based on the City’s review and approval of several buildings under the Green Building Code, the following concerns have been identified:

1. Large portions of the green building code are difficult to enforce.
2. There are a variety of requirements for assessments and studies.
3. The building life cycle assessment requirement is confusing.
4. The code is difficult to work with from a design standpoint.
5. Architects are not as familiar with the Green Construction Code as other green codes such as LEED certifications. One of the reasons for this is no other Minnesota city has adopted the Internation Green Construction Code.
6. Developers express concern that building under the code costs more money, so they ultimately ask for additional public funding or reduce the number of units.
7. Currently multi-family residential buildings of four stories or less are exempt from the code.
8. There are no electric vehicle charging station or renewable energy requirements in the 2012 version of the International Green Construction Code.

2024 - The International Green Construction Code has been updated three times since 2012, and the City could feasibly adopt the newer versions. However, because of additional changes that have been made to the International Construction Code since that time, and the above-mentioned concerns, Maplewood will begin to draft a new green building framework in 2024 that will be based on existing performance-based policies such as LEED or B3 guidelines.

Apple Valley has two Green Globes certified city-owned buildings: the Hayes Senior & Community Center and Liquor Store #3

As of January 1, 2024, the City of Eden Prairie implemented a Sustainable Building Standard that applies to all new construction or major addition building projects that request either financial or land use incentives from the city, and includes all public buildings operated by the City or HRA. The standard requires certification under an eligible rating system (LEED Silver, B3, Enterprise Green Communities, or equivalent) and meeting Eden Prairie overlay requirements for greenhouse gas emissions calculations, electric vehicle charging, and renewable energy.

Since 2001, city policy has been that any new construction or major remodel of a city facility is required to be built using Oakdale's own Generation Green building program standards. As a result, an addition at public works, a new fire station, and the Discovery Center at Oakdale Nature Preserve were all built to the Generation Green standard. Some of the green building strategies implemented included: increased wall/roof insulation standards, use of recycled construction materials, native habitat landscaping, upgraded HVAC equipment and controls.

On February 16th 2010, the City of Saint Louis Park Economic Development Authority adopted a city wide Green Building Policy. This policy affects new municipal, commercial, hotel, industrual and mixed use construction, additions 15,000 square feet or greater (gross) and renovations 50,000 square feet or greater (gross) receiving $200,000 or more in City financial assistance. This policy also affects new and renovated multifamily residential buildings receiving $200,000 or more in City financial assistance and all new and renovated detached single family home projects receiving $10,000 or more in City financial assistance.

The Saint Paul Sustainable Building Policy was adopted by Mayor Chris Coleman and the City Council and became effective July 1, 2010. It applies to new city-owned buildings and all privately developed new construction projects receiving more than $200,000 in public funding. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency granted Saint Paul funds to develop this policy, with the intent of creating a model policy that other cities and counties could adopt.

In October 2009, Woodbury City Council passed a resolution adopting a sustainable building standard for new and renovated municipal buildings in the city. The resolution states that the city will utilize the B3-State of Minnesota Sustainable Building Guidelines in the planning, design, construction and commission of new buildings and major renovations greater than 5,000 square feet that are owned by the City of Woodbury. The resolution also states that city staff will consider the feasibility of pursuing Energy Star or LEED certification for the same. Since the resolution was passed, the city has utilized the B3 guidelines and documented the renovation and expansion of the Public Safety Building and the Bielenberg Sports Complex.

In addition, Woodbury City Hall is Energy Star certified.

The City of Fergus Falls has recently completed the design development phase for a renovated/new construction project at our Public Library. The city and BTR has reviewed the design to incorporate green building framework standards.

Leech Lake encourages a list of Green Initiatives depending on construction and building infrastructure that may be implemented, taking into account budget constraints. For example, use of energy efficient lighting, heating, cooling, high r-value insulation, passive solar/lighting and orientation of building.

When renovating the 70-year-old City Hall building into the new Community Hub and Resilinecy Center, we worked in partnership with Xcel Energy to make the new building as energy efficient as possible. The city participated in the "Energy Efficient Buildings" (EEB) rebate program for new construction projects. This program reviews the design documents, makes recommendation, and then confirms completion.
The Community Hub was designed and built to accommodate for rooftop solar and battery storage energy solutions. Unfortunately, our application was denied by Xcel Energy because we are in GLD021 grid that is marked RED as an over-capacitated area for solar. The city is still applying for battery storage solutions with external grant funding since Xcel will not fund battery storage either due to its status as residing in RED grid area.

Mankato's policy is to look for opportunities to maximize energy-efficiency and sustainability in locating and constructing new City facilities, and when renovating existing faciliies. Strategic planning of facilities allows efficient use of public funds and opportunities for leadership in sustainable practices.

Most major City building construction and rehabilitation projects will require financing (typically bonds) from the State. As such, the projects will comply with the Minnesota Sustainable Building Guidelines, which are designed to exceed the State energy code by at least 30 percent and achieve the lowest possible lifetime costs.

The sustainability policies in the City's Parks Master Plan states, "That all new park and facility improvements include in the planning or process criterion that improves sustainability of materials, energy use, operating cost and lifecycle replacement and natural environmental impact. Best practices for stormwater retention. That innovative stormwater retention techniques be utilized in new park development and in the renovation of existing parks, such as permeable paving and rain gardens.

Subd. 7. The City of Rochester is a signatory to the 2005 US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement (MCPA), which has been endorsed by the US Conference of Mayors, and signed by more than 900 US Mayors and 40 Minnesota cities as of February, 2009. Under the agreement, cities commit to the following: (1) urge the federal government and state governments to enact policies and programs to meet or beat the target of reducing greenhouse gas emission levels to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012; (2) promote land use and transportation policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions; (3) increase the use of clean, renewable energy and make energy efficiency a priority; (4) adopt purchasing and building construction and operation practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions; (5) increase recycling rates and urban forest cover; and (6) support education efforts about how to take actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Public Works practices addressing 4) Support of Olmsted Countys Solid Waste Policy and location of Waste to Energy Facility within the City limits; (5) Implementation of Inflow and Infiltration Policies to reduce the capacity and operational impacts and costs on the public sewer collection and wastewater treatment system; (6) Construction of sustainable, durable, long lasting public buildings and infrastructure that increases life cycles, conserves energy, reduces long-term operating costs, and minimizes construction materials waste. (7) Incorporation of smart technologies in transportation infrastructure that increases public safety and reduces pollution due to congestion;

Planning was done in 2013 and construction began winter 2013 and completition in July 2014. Reducing electric usage for heating apartments from using PTack units to using mini split cold temperature heat pumps with natural gas boiler heat for floor heat in new addition.