Require, build or facilitate at least four sustainability attributes in a business/industrial park project:

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Require, build or facilitate at least four sustainability attributes in a business/industrial park project:

Best Practice of this action
Rating Guideline
1 star Report on the attributes in a business park or industrial park project and what role the city played in their achievement. Report mixed-use projects under BPA 28.4 or under BP 8, and shared aspects of retail projects at transit/density nodes under BPA 14.2.
2 star Specify which elements were/are required by the city.
3 star Rate the project using the Envision sustainability rating system or equivalent.
Resources

Sustainable Parking: 

  • See parking resources under BPA 14.1.
  • See EV charging resources under BPA 23.5

Green Products & Jobs: 

  • The Towerside Innovation District is a collaboration of public and private partners working to transform an overlooked, asset-rich district at the heart of the Twin Cities into an equitable and restorative demonstration of 21st century urban redevelopment.
  • The City of Fridley’s Northern Stacks project was a superfund site redeveloped into a business campus.
  • The Minnesota Main Streets program (BPA 5.2) can help communities create new jobs through investments to their downtowns. For example, Red Wing documented 79 new jobs created since joining the program in 2010. 
  • Faribault initiated a Sustainable Industries Cohort in 2019 that brought together up to 50 local business leaders to regular meetings that helped inform the city's Comprehensive Plan update and aided in peer sharing and learning opportunities about sustainable best best practices. 
  • Marshall Clean Energy Training program with SW MN Private Industry Council.
  • The City of Austin provided office space for the Latino Economic Development Center

Green Buildings, Building Use, & Sites: 

  • Empower you environmental/sustainability committees to be more effective at making your city more sustainable, resilient, and equitable by advocating for an environmental focus throughout the community’s development review process by using the Addressing the Sustainability Gap in the Development Review Process (GSC and Michael Orange, 2021). The guide has 8 main sections: climate change future - a call to action; the third “E” in Sustainability - equity, and climate refugees; environmental advocacy and the development review process; Minnesota programs for local governments; municipal development code; 2 case studies; and resources.  
  • The Miniguide for Supporting Community-Centered Schools (MnDOT 2022) provides resources for determining the best locations to site a community asset. 
  • The Pope/Douglas Soild Waste Magement Material Recovery Center 2024 project expanded a reuse room and fix-it/refurbishment space, supports Precious Plastics plastic reuse and includes a hands-on learning lab and community space.

Shared Energy Systems 

  • In Rochester, linking buildings to pipes with circulating water, called a Thermal Energy Network, can help share the thermal energy available and reduce the impact of building electrification on the electric grid. 
  • EPA combined heat and power resources and calculators.

Envision Rating System

  • The Envision rating system from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure provides a holistic framework for evaluating and rating the community, environmental, and economic benefits of all types and sizes of infrastructure projects. 
Sublist

a. Shared parking/access, electric vehicle charging for 3% of parking and/or synchronized with solar generation.
b. Green product development, manufacturing or sales OR a green job training program..
c. Buildings located within walking distance of transit and/or residential zoning.
d. Renovated buildings, buildings designed for reuse, shared recreation/childcare facilities.
e. Green buildings built to Minnesota's SB2030 energy standard OR renewable energy generated on-site.
f. Combined heat and power (CHP) generation capacity, shared geothermal heating/cooling, microgrid OR energy storage.
g. Low-impact site development.

Order Number
3
Action Type
Finite