Funding Awarded: $80,000

INDUSTRY PARTNERS:

Green Lyfe, Applied Engineering & Design, West Central Builders Association,  Willmar Electric Service

Key Partners:

Ridgewater College, Central MN Workforce Investment Board, Kandiyohi Economic Development Commission, Willmar Area Chamber of Commerce

Project Summary:

In Willmar, students at Ridgewater College, experienced construction workers, and the general public will be educated in renewable and sustainable technologies, through the construction of a LEED-certified home using renewable & sustainable technologies. (The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System provides standards for environmentally sustainable construction.) This is sponsored by a group of local architects (Green Lyfe), the Carpentry & Electricians program at Ridgewater College, and other industry and community partners.

Project Outcomes:

•  46 Ridgewater College students participating in project
•  3 educators prepared for instruction in LEED Home Construction; will train 21 additional students annually

Project Description:

It's a win-win-win-win situation with this LEED home in Willmar.

• Local contractors and students are learning valuable and cutting-edge energy efficient building     techniques.
• The Ridgewater College Carpentry & Electricians program is providing hands-on experience to students. 
• The three architects that created Green Lyfe, LLC to build this home got to try out new ideas and test energy efficiency theories in real-life.
• The eventual owner of this home will live in one of the most energy efficient, conservationoriented, and just plain beautiful homes in the area.

Green Lyfe architect and partner Phil Anderson said, "The word Green has been out there for awhile but the public doesn't really know exactly what it is. It's sort of a buzz word. We're presenting some tangible training, and I think it will bring meaning to the word Green."

The list of energy saving, water conservation, and renewable & recycled-content components can take more than 45 minutes to explain. Julie Alsum, Green Lyfe partner and architect at Genesis Architects listed some of the highlights as:

•  Solar panels for an in-floor heat system and domestic hot water
•  Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) with a high R factor that reduces heat loss
•  Cellulosic attic insulation made from recycled newspapers
•  A rain harvesting system with a cistern that collects water for exterior uses.
•  Tubular skylights that reduce interior lighting use

Many of the home's products were made in Minnesota: Solar Skies solar collector panels from Starbuck, MN, SIP panels from Cottonwood, MN, and the energy-efficient windows & roof shingles are also from Minnesota.

"We set out to build a LEEDs home with as a high rating as possible," said Jeff Nagel, Green Lyfe partner and architect at Cities Edge in Willmar. "And, we're very close to the top level of Platinum."

Also, the Green Energy Concepts courses that have been developed during this project will also be used in local high schools according to Ridgewater College Dean of Instruction, Mike Boehme.