Project Overview
The City of Richfield is reimagining Wood Lake Nature Center into a fully accessible, sustainable facility that enhances environmental education and visitor experience. Featuring mass timber, geothermal, solar, and green roof systems, the project creates a high-performing community hub that supports long-term operations and connects people to nature.
Key Takeaways
- New, future-ready facility: Wood Lake Nature Center is being fully redeveloped into an accessible, modern hub for environmental education, community use, and nature connection.
- Strong community impact: A longstanding asset, since 1971, serving around 200,000 visitors annually within 150 acres of protected habitat in a suburban setting.
- Sustainability-driven design: Incorporates mass timber, geothermal, solar energy, and a green roof to meet B3 standards and reduce environmental impact.
- Innovative construction & coordination: Early collaboration enabled efficient design, reduced construction risk, and solved challenges like protecting exposed mass timber.
- Long-term value: Built to deliver durable performance, low-carbon operations, and lasting educational and environmental benefits for future generations.
- Estimated Completion Date
September 2026
- Project Cost
$26,000,000
- Delivery Method
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Construction Manager at Risk
- Additional Project Facts
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17,000 Square Feet
The new Wood Lake Nature Center building will be a valuable community asset for years to come, providing spaces to experience and learn about nature in the heart of Richfield
A New Chapter for Learning, Access, and Connection
The City of Richfield is reimagining Wood Lake Nature Center to create a fully accessible, future-ready facility that enhances environmental education, improves the visitor experience, and supports long‑term operational performance. The project replaces existing structures to make way for a new nature center that will serve as a central hub for learning, community gathering, and connection to the surrounding natural landscape.
The facility leverages sustainable construction practices—including mass timber construction, geothermal heating and cooling, rooftop solar, and a green roof—to meet B3 sustainability standards while reducing environmental impact and reinforcing the center’s mission of stewardship and education.
Mass Timber: Built for Performance, Designed for the Experience
An exposed mass timber system—glulam and dowel-laminated timber—creates a warm, natural environment that reflects the surrounding landscape while delivering high performance.
- Early coordination, reduced risk: Mortenson led constructability efforts and partnered with the design team, timber fabricator, and MEP partners to coordinate penetrations, connections, and systems routing—protecting the integrity of the exposed structure from the start.
- Smarter material protection: Protecting prefinished timber during installation was critical. The team moved beyond traditional wrapping, which can trap moisture and cause damage, using an approach that allows the timber to acclimate naturally and reduces moisture-related risk.
- Performance with purpose: Exposed timber reduces embodied carbon, supports biophilic design, and creates a visible, tangible experience—reinforcing the nature center’s mission.
Geothermal Infrastructure Built for Long Term Efficiency
More than 60 geothermal wells, each approximately 185 feet deep, are installed beneath the parking lot to deliver low carbon heating and cooling and reduce long-term energy use. Mortenson worked with the city to integrate the geothermal system into the site layout and construction phasing, maintaining parking functionality while supporting schedule certainty and long-term system performance.
Renewable Energy with Integrated Roof Systems
A rooftop solar array with 125 panels (67.5 kW DC / 80 kW AC) generates onsite renewable energy, while the green roof improves stormwater management, thermal performance, and urban biodiversity. Mortenson coordinated structural, roofing, and sustainability requirements to ensure the systems function together, addressing loading, drainage, and waterproofing to support long-term durability.
What Makes Wood Lake Nature Center Unique?
- Minnesota’s first municipal nature center, serving the Richfield community since 1971.
- 150 acres of protected prairie, wetlands, and wildlife habitat within a first-ring suburb.
- High-impact environmental education, welcoming approximately 200,000 visitors and 25,000 program participants annually.
- A sustainability-driven facility that teaches by example, using mass timber, geothermal, solar, and a green roof.
Built for Performance and Community Impact
In partnership with the City of Richfield, Mortenson is delivering a forward-looking facility that balances environmental responsibility, operational performance, and community impact. Wood Lake Nature Center stands as a lasting investment in sustainability, education, and connection—designed to serve the community for generations.