McKnight Foundation HQ earns LEED Gold with people-first, planet-first design
McKnight’s new Minneapolis headquarters is a living example of mission in action: LEED Gold certification, adaptive reuse over new build, and an innovative ice-based thermal system that eliminates fossil-fuel heating/cooling. Staff-centered spaces (wellness, prayer, all-gender restrooms) and a public-facing arts wall make it a hub for equity, creativity, and climate solutions.
The McKnight Foundation’s new Minneapolis headquarters is more than just a workplace. It is a tangible reflection of the foundation’s mission to advance equity, community and sustainability.
From the heating and cooling system to staff gathering spaces, every detail was approached with the question of how to align people and planet. The building’s recent LEED Gold certification, awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council, underscores the foundation’s commitment to environmentally responsible design.
“One of the goals of the building was to weave climate and sustainability through every aspect,” said Ben Passer, program director of McKnight’s Midwest Energy and Climate team. “The biggest step was actually just utilizing the space that was already here, rather than doing all of the carbon-intensive work of building new.
“We have the fortune to work with a lot of grantee organizations doing building work, and what we hear from them is that the most important thing you can do for sustainability is to utilize existing space.”
That approach set the tone for the entire project. Nichol Higdon, vice president of finance and operations, oversaw the move and renovation. For her, sustainability was inseparable from the foundation’s values.
“We first started off with determining what we were trying to accomplish with the move, period,” Higdon said. “It was very important for us to continue to stay connected to Minneapolis…
“We had been in our prior location for about 20 years, and then we also wanted to make sure that we were able to live out our mission as part of the process. Being able to partner with a landlord that was supportive of sustainability was very critical, and that took us some time to actually find.”
Higdon emphasized that holistic sustainability also meant considering employees. “We took into account our employee needs, from a wellness center and yoga studio to a prayer room with a foot-washing station. All of those things culminated into what the budget needed to support.”
The board’s full support enabled bold decisions. “Ben helped us work through three different scenarios of how we could approach sustainability, and our board said, ‘No, we’re just going to go all in, because we are all in on mission,’” Higdon said.
One of the building’s most innovative features is its ice-based thermal energy system, which replaces fossil fuels for heating and cooling. “Sometimes the technology is even over my head,” Passer admitted with a laugh, “but it really demonstrates what’s possible.
“We’re using tanks that have ice in them, and the heat that comes off the ice as it melts is used to warm the building, and the cooling is recaptured as well. In a place like Minnesota with such extreme weather, to be able to say we can do this is pretty remarkable.”
Such systems remain rare due to cost, climate and complexity. Partners like Trane and Griner helped make it possible, alongside a $1.5 million federal tax credit through the Inflation Reduction Act, one of Minnesota’s first tenant-led clean energy deals. Sustainable construction practices diverted more than 75% of landfill waste and avoided over a ton of fossil-fuel-derived plastics.
In addition to energy efficiency, the building promotes wellness, equity and creativity. It features electric vehicle chargers, ample natural light, all-gender restrooms, and an in-house creative studio. A highly visible exterior mural wall, facing U.S. Bank Stadium, will showcase Minnesota artists and connect to McKnight’s Arts & Culture program, which has supported local artists for 50 years.
The office is not just environmentally forward; it is also a hub for connection. In the first four months since opening, McKnight has welcomed 2,000 grantee partners, community leaders, and changemakers working on initiatives ranging from green jobs and clean energy to wealth-building and arts support.
“For us, sustainability is not just about the environment… It’s about sustaining community, sustaining culture, and sustaining relationships,” Passer said. The headquarters also honors the land’s history.
Both McKnight’s current and former offices sit on the ancestral and present-day lands of the Dakota people, including Owámniyomni, or St. Anthony Falls, a sacred site. McKnight supported the local organization Owámniyomni Okhódayapi in initiating restoration efforts, connecting the foundation’s work to broader goals of healing, justice, and community engagement.
Tonya Allen, president of McKnight Foundation, described the new space as a “hub for changemakers.” “We’re showing how building owners and tenants alike can express their values and live out their missions through the built environment,” Allen said.
The McKnight Foundation’s headquarters is, in many ways, a living demonstration project: proof that mission-driven organizations can align operations with values in both visible and invisible ways. Through sustainability, innovation, and community connection, McKnight hopes not only to inspire its grantees but to influence a broader shift toward responsible, equitable, and human-centered design in Minnesota and beyond.
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@spokesman-recorder.com.