Historic Minneapolis Building Leads the Way in Clean Energy Transformation

As of September 2025, the McKnight Foundation's new headquarters in downtown Minneapolis stands as a shining example of clean energy innovation. The 45,000-square-foot building, created by combining two 140-year-old storefronts, is now Minnesota's first fully decarbonized office space.

The Minnesota-based nonprofit, one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the country, committed to a major retrofit when it moved into the new headquarters this summer. The building employs a unique thermal energy tank system to regulate temperature without the use of natural gas, a milestone achievement in a state where buildings account for 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions.

While it is relatively easy for new construction projects to achieve high energy efficiency, the McKnight Foundation wanted to prove that older buildings can also be transformed into green, sustainable spaces. The retrofit process earned the building a prestigious LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, a significant upgrade for the historic structure.

"The most sustainable building is often the one that already exists," said Ben Passer, director of McKnight's Midwest Climate and Energy program. The foundation's commitment to environmental initiatives is reflected in its new headquarters, which serves as a model for how existing buildings can be retrofitted to reduce their carbon footprint.