Our Mission

MRES is a catalyst, equitably advancing a sustainable low-carbon society
and a renewable energy economy through education, leadership and example.

April Speaker Series - LIVE ONLINE PRESENTATION

The Morris Model: Sustainable Development for Greater Minnesota

The Morris Model is a nationally recognized community partnership working to advance sustainability in rural Minnesota. The Morris Model’s partners frame their goals, projects, and community building around the five Morris Model focus areas: Energy Efficiency, Clean Energy, Community Resilience, Cultural Exchange, and Celebration. This presentation will explore how the Morris Model came to be, what the partnership has accomplished and how it’s done it, and reaffirming community partnership and creating broad coalitions can solve some of the largest problems that rural communities often face.

About the Speaker:

Griffin Peck is the Sustainability Project Coordinator for the City of Morris and leads the Morris Model partnership. A graduate of the University of Minnesota Morris with a degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Sustainability Leadership, Griffin has made significant contributions to the city's sustainability initiatives since joining in 2022. Griffin's work focuses on community resilience, energy benchmarking, renewable energy projects, and strategic planning. They have gained valuable experience from previous roles in energy benchmarking at educational institutions across Minnesota. Griffin's interests lie in renewable energy technologies, fleet electrification, energy management, and accessibility. They have a successful track record in implementing sustainable initiatives and securing funding.

April Speaker Series - LIVE ONLINE PRESENTATION

Due to the current public health situation regarding COVID-19, MRES has transitioned to a web based platform for all Speaker Series events. This decision was made in an effort to reduce the person-to-person transmission of the virus and is consistent with the policies and advice of leading state and national health organizations.

Thursday, April 18th
Web Portal Opens: 5:45pm
Speaker: 6:00-7:00pm

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Meeting ID: 821 0635 4068
Passcode: 738377

To dial in, call +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
or find your local number here.

Difficulties? Contact Eleanor Mahon
eleanor@mnrenewables.org

Green Rock Apartments Transform Multifamily Housing from Old to Sustainable: A Guide for Property Owners

Dale Howey, in six years, has transformed his Green Rock Apartments into a model of carbon-neutral housing. Howey, a Minneapolis owner/renovator, has completed eight multi-unit building retrofits. The physical improvements, coupled with enhanced livability amenities, have dramatically reduced each building’s utility usage/cost of energy, increased owner profits, and improved livability for residents. Most importantly, the retrofits have significantly reduced the use of fossil fuels, and thus contribute toward lowering the world’s extreme carbon emissions.

Howey’s intention is to open-source his unique retrofit approach so that others may gain ideas, inspiration, and guidance. To that end, the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society, in collaboration with Green Rock Apartments, has produced a detailed guide documenting Howey’s projects, noting the carbon-reducing products used, retrofit project financing, key contacts and sources for further research. The following guide highlights four Green Rock Apartment buildings in Minneapolis, MN that have been retrofitted to near zero carbon by Howey. These retrofits have greatly lowered utility usage, increased owner profits and have improved livability for Residents. Most importantly, these retrofits significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels to further lower the world’s extreme carbon emissions.

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