The rating system is administered by Minnesota GreenStar, a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to advance Green design and construction in Minnesota’s residential sector. MN GreenStar is governed by a board of directors that includes representatives from the Builders Association of the Twin Cities, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry - Minnesota, the Green Institute, the University of Minnesota Center for Sustainable Building Research, Building Knowledge, Xcel Energy, and the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
History
Minnesota GreenStar was born out of a desire to create something beneficial to everyone. Something desirable, accessible and available to all.
It is the quintessential grassroots story. Starting in late 2005 with the creation of the ad hoc Green Remodeling Group (GRG) for the purpose of compiling best Green practices to create a Green remodeling standard. This group was comprised of builders from the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC), remodelers from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI-MN), interior designers, architects, lumber yards, flooring distributers, building science professionals, MN Department of Commerce Energy Office personnel, utilities, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Green building specialists.
The GRG partnered with the Center for Sustainable Building Research and The Green Institute, and received a grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to build a Green remodeling standard for Minnesota. Shortly after, BATC began seriously investigating the adoption of National Green building standards and decided instead to build on the work already taking place. A partnership between BATC and The Green Institute resulted in the creation of a Green new homes standard.
The two programs came together to become Minnesota GreenStar Certified Green Homes and Remodeling. With a successful pilot with over 60 projects registered in just two months, the many stakeholders joined to form the nonprofit MN GreenStar to oversee and manage the growth of Minnesota’s first residential Green new homes and remodeling standard.
It is important to recognize the countless hours and hard work put forth by the volunteers who made MN GreenStar a reality. It is hard to think how we could have come this far without their insight, research, and selfless dedication to this endeavor. MN GreenStar is an example of what can be achieved when people, organizations, and agencies put aside their differences to create something for the greater good.
Special Thanks
Michael Anschel, Erin Barnes-Driscoll, Todd Bjerstedt, Christine Bleyhl, Corey Brinkema, Rick Carter, KC Chermak, Bob Engstrom, Dylan Howard, Christopher Jones, Dave Klun, Joe Kneable, Jonee Kulman-Brigham, Laura Millberg, Bruce Nelson, Shawn
Acknowledgments
Minnesota GreenStar is a collaborative effort of the Green Remodeling Group, the Builders Association of the Twin Cities, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry-Minnesota and the environmental nonprofit The Green Institute. MN GreenStar received development funding from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and benefited from many other supporters who donated their time and talent in the process. They include:
- Better Homes & Garbage
- Building Arts Sustainable Architecture+Construction LLC
- Carl Seville
- Center for Sustainable Building Research at the University of Minnesota
- Simply Green Design
- David Eisenberg
- David Johnston
- Dovetail Partners, LLC
- Great River Energy
- Kestrel Design Group
- Manomin Hardwood Floors
- Minnesota Department of Commerce
- Mississippi Headwaters Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council
- New Spaces Design-Build
- Otogawa-Anschel Design-Build
- SALA Architects, Inc.
- Scherer Brothers Lumber Company
- Shaw/Stewart Lumber Company
- The Remodeler's Choice
- Vujovich Design-Build
- Xcel Energy