The Minnesota Department of Administration (Admin) provides enterprise-wide leadership to ensure all state government buildings are sustainable and energy efficient.
Our Construction Services team has played a central role developing and supporting the state's sustainable building guidelines. We work hand-in-hand with state agencies and contractors to ensure both new building projects and renovations follow these guidelines—to save energy, make the most of state resources, and preserve our environment. Review the sections below for more information and resources about sustainable buildings.
The sustainable building guideline used by Admin and the state at large is called Buildings, Benchmarks & Beyond (B3). Admin has worked with the Minnesota Department of Commerce, the University of Minnesota's Center for Sustainable Building Research, and outside contractors and consultants to develop and support B3. B3 is similar to other energy-efficient building standards, such as the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, but it has been tailored to the specific needs of Minnesota buildings.
B3 Guidelines are required on all state-funded projects in Minnesota, but they can be easily applied to any building project. To ensure your building projects are following B3 guidelines, reach out to our construction services contacts or email gudelines@b3mn.org for assistance.
In 2001, the Minnesota Legislature directed Admin, in partnership with the Department of Commerce, to develop sustainable building design guidelines for state buildings and established an energy savings goal of 30 percent. The law required that the guidelines be in place for all new state buildings by 2003 and for all major renovations by 2009 (Minnesota Statutes 16B.325). State law also provides a framework for Admin and Commerce to periodically review and revise the sustainable building design guidelines to incorporate relevant performance standards (Minnesota Statutes 216B.241 Subdivision 9).
