Winona State University will host “The Greenest Buildings in the World: How Winona State Can Lead the Nation,” with Jason F. McLennan, Lead Designer for Winona State’s upcoming CICEL project, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7, in Science Laboratory Center 120 on the Winona State campus.
“The Greenest Buildings in the World” will highlight leading edge ideas on how buildings, campuses and cities can be transformed to create a positive, living future and deal with the threats of climate change and other pressing global environmental issues. The presentation will include discussion of Winona State’s upcoming CICEL project, which will be the first Net Zero Energy (NZE) and carbon neutral building in the Minnesota State system.
A reception will precede the event at 6:30 p.m. and include a Meet & Greet with McLennan, Winona State leadership, and members of the design team for the Center for Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Engagement, and Learning (CICEL) project.
McLennan is considered one of the world’s most influential individuals in the field of architecture and green building movement today. He is the creator of the Living Building Challenge — the most stringent and progressive green building program in existence – and is the recipient of the prestigious Buckminster Fuller Prize – the planet’s top prize for socially responsible design. McLennan has been selected by Yes! Magazine as one of ’15 people shaping the world’ and works closely with world leaders, Fortune 500 companies, leading NGOs, major universities, celebrities, and influential development companies — all in the pursuit of a world that is socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative.
McLennan serves as the Chief Sustainability Officer at Perkins & Will and is the Managing Principal at McLennan Design. The team of Perkins & Will and McLennan Design was recently selected to lead the design process for Winona State’s CICEL project. This team is nationally recognized for their expertise in higher education and sustainable-regenerative design.
This spring Perkins & Will and McLennan Design will lead a series of design workshops focused on the functional requirements for the CICEL project, gathering data to support the design, and analyzing the site, campus, and community context. CICEL is intended to improve Winona State educational experience while furthering the university’s commitment to sustainability and affordability. The project calls for the demolition of two outdated buildings and the construction of a new, 73,000-square-foot building. The CICEL project will eliminate $9.2 million in deferred maintenance costs and reduce overall operating costs through sustainable building features.
For more information contact Jim Goblirsch at james.goblirsch@winona.edu.
