Platinum Recognition for Rice Creek Commons
April 16, 2026
@drawnwell
SPOTLIGHT
Rice Creek Commons, a 427-acre mixed-use redevelopment in Arden Hills, Minnesota, has earned LEED for Communities Platinum pre-certification—the highest level in the U.S. Green Building Council’s rating system. The designation places the project on track to become only the second development in Minnesota to achieve full Platinum certification.
“Our goals with Rice Creek Commons are to create economic opportunity, expand access to housing, and build an energy-efficient community,” says Jonathan Wicklund, chair of the Joint Development Authority Board. “Earning LEED for Communities Platinum-level pre-certification validates the careful planning and collaboration that has gone into ensuring this site meets our goals and the highest standards of sustainable development.”
LHB and Sustainable Investment Group (SIG) provided sustainability consulting throughout the pre-certification process. LHB also helped develop the project’s Sustainability Design Guidelines, which outline building certification requirements and standards for energy-efficient operations, electrification, renewable energy integration, and long-term performance strategies.
Development is already underway. Ryan Companies, the developer of the 40-acre Outlot A parcel, broke ground in spring 2025 on the 157,000-square-foot headquarters for Micro Control Company—the first building in the project. The facility reflects the site’s broader vision of a carbon-free community, featuring a high-efficiency mechanical system with ground-source wells and heat pumps, as well as EV charging infrastructure and low-carbon materials throughout the core and shell.
Rice Creek Commons was previously featured in “New Developments in Carbon Neutrality in Minnesota” in the 2025 ENTER print annual.
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