Wadena-Deer Creek Middle/High School of Wadena, Minn., has been awarded the LEED Gold certification from the USGBC. It’s a significant honor for the school that was rebuilt following a devastating category E4 tornado that wiped out 20 city blocks of Wadena on June 17, 2010.
Designed by Perkins + Will Architects and built by Kraus-Anderson Construction, the new 174,000-square-foot high school opened Sept. 4, 2012, and houses 800 students in grades 5-12.
Design elements in Wadena High School’s new $30 million building feature geothermal heating and cooling, a high-efficiency displacement ventilation system for quiet teaching spaces with excellent indoor air quality, and a design that harvests daylight and distributes natural light deep within the building.
The school’s stormwater management features rain gardens with native plantings and an outdoor community garden agriculture program that supports the district’s sustainable curriculum.
