Sustainable Construction 

in Indian Country

Charting a Course to Sustainability

Fond du Lac Band of 

Lake Superior Chippewa

“We are always seeking to increase sustainability. It’s part of 

who we are. It is part of our overarching goal to responsibly 

care for our environment and at the same time care for our tribal members.”

- Jason Hollinday, Director of Planning, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development | Office of Policy Development and Research
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Sustainable Construction in Indian Country

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Problem

New data revealed areas of unmet need 

in housing and supportive services for 

homeless tribal members to be addressed 

in keeping within the community’s goal of 

overall sustainable development.

Solution

Developed housing that meets the needs of 

homeless tribal members who are veterans, 

and is constructed using affordable and 

cost-effective energy-efficient materials and 

technologies.

Community Snapshot

Location: Near Cloquet, Minnesota

Location type: Rural

Population: 4,121 enrolled members

Climate: The annual rainfall is around 30 inches. 

Proximity to Lake Superior raises 

snowfall to an average of 65 inches 

annually and lowers temperatures. 

The normal mean temperature from 

June through August is 62–64 °F and, 

from December through February it is 

12–14 °F. (Köppen classification Csb)

Critical Sustainable 

Technologies and Strategies

• Within 1⁄2 mile of services

• Passive solar eastern orientation

• Best practice erosion management strategies

• Best practice stormwater management

• WaterSense/high-efficiency water fixtures

• Site lighting controlled by photo cells

• Low volatile organic compound finishes and 

sealants

• Energy-efficient interior lighting

• ENERGY STAR windows and appliances

• High-efficiency gas-fired boiler

• Highly insulated

• Light-colored roof shingles

• Formaldehyde-free composite board

• Ventilation with air exchangers

Table of Contents

Summary 3

Committed to Sustainable Development 5

New Data Spurs Development 5

Honoring Those Who Serve 6

Embracing Green Requirements 7

Sustainable and Affordable 8

Project Summary 9

A Growing Sense of Community 10

Best Practices 10

Next Steps 11

How To Get Started 12

Funding 

Source Amount

Minnesota Housing 

Finance Agency $743,000

U.S. Department of Housing and 

Urban Development (HUD) Indian 

Housing Block Grant

$653,572

Federal Home Loan Bank of 

Des Moines $300,000

Greater Minnesota Housing Fund $200,000

Bureau of Indian Affairs $170,000

Fond du Lac Band of 

Lake Superior Chippewa $43,200

Enterprise Community Partners Fund $25,000

Total $2,134,772

Map
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Sustainable Construction in Indian Country

Fond du Lac Veterans Supportive Housing, which opened in 2013, is the most recent housing development 

for families and single people of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (FDL) designed to 

support homeless tribal members—in this case veterans—while also advancing the FDL’s commitment to 

the environment. Participation in a survey 

process that included reservation lands led 

FDL to identify several new areas of unmet 

need among homeless tribal members. The 

band created reservationwide and departmentspecific housing and supportive services 

plans which successfully developed first the 

Supportive Housing Development and, later, the 

veterans’ housing development.

Veterans Supportive Housing, a single-story 

development, includes 10 one-bedroom 

apartments, common rooms, and supportive 

services offices. To ensure the band’s 

commitment to the environment would be 

built into the project from the start, FDL 

Director of Planning Jason Hollinday said that 

the tribe selected an architecture firm with 

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) credentials. The firm was able to recommend 

green options that would maximize affordability while also meeting ambitious tribal energy-efficiency 

goals and Minnesota funding requirements. Cost-effective technologies and strategies include site 

orientation to maximize both daylight exposure and winter solar gain; site planning to include erosion and 

stormwater management best practices; high-efficiency gas-fired boiler; ENERGY STAR windows, fixtures, 

and appliances; WaterSense/high-efficiency water fixtures, R-50 attic insulation; and low volatile organic 

compound (VOC) finishes.

In July 2013, the Reservation Business Council and 

Congressman Rick Nolan took part in the ribbon 

cutting ceremony.

Veterans Supportive Housing lounge
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Sustainable Construction in Indian Country

Here are some of the technologies and their effect on sustainability. 

Sustainable 

Technologies What Is It? Effect

Building orientation

The choice of how to situate a proposed 

building on a location is an early and 

critical decision. Intelligent building 

orientation can enhance energy 

savings, comfort, and erosion and water 

management designs.

Orientation to take advantage of 

winter sun for increased daylight 

exposure can reduce indoor lighting 

requirements.

WaterSense/high-efficiency 

water fixtures

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

(EPA) WaterSense-labeled products are 

independently certified to be at least 

20 percent more efficient than average 

products without sacrificing performance: 

toilets use less than 1.28 gallons per minute (gpm), bathroom faucets less than 1.5 

gpm, and showerheads at 2.0 gpm. 

The average family can save 16,600 gallons per year by installing WaterSense 

showerheads, bathroom faucets, and 

toilets (or products with the same standards) and hundreds of dollars. They 

can also save in heating costs since less 

water needs to be heated. 

Energy-efficient lights

Compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs are 

made of glass tubes filled with gas and a 

small amount of mercury (100 times less 

than a glass thermometer). The mercury 

emits an invisible ultraviolet light that 

becomes visible when it hits the white 

coating inside the 

CFL bulb.

ENERGY STAR-qualified fluorescent 

lighting uses 75 percent less energy 

and lasts up to 10 times longer than 

normal incandescent bulbs.

Stormwater best 

management practices 

(BMPs)

BMPs refer to environmental strategies 

that prevent or reduce pollution. Stormwater BMPs can include bioswales (an alternative to storm sewers that uses natural 

landscaping and native plants to drain and 

move stormwater), rain gardens, green 

roofs, permeable pavements, and more.

Effective stormwater management 

reduces landscaping maintenance, increases plant survival, improves water 

quality, and decreases or eliminates 

need for lawn chemicals and fertilizer.

ENERGY STAR appliances

ENERGY STAR appliances are 

independently certified through 

a program of the EPA and the U.S. 

Department of Energy. Appliances include 

refrigerators, bathroom fans, dishwashers, 

and washing machines

ENERGY STAR products save money and 

protect the environment. For example, 

replacing a 1980s model refrigerator 

with an ENERGY STAR version could 

save $100 a year in total energy costs. 

Replacing a clothes washer could save 

as much as $110 a year.
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Sustainable Construction in Indian Country

Committed to Sustainable Development

The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa had 

embraced sustainable development as part of a master 

plan even before the tribe adopted the Kyoto Protocol 

in 2007, pledging to reduce its emissions and obtain 20 

percent of electricity from renewable energy resources 

by 2020. The band began collecting data on energy 

consumption in all tribally owned buildings in 2011 

and sought opportunities to increase energy efficiency 

and add renewable energy where appropriate and 

cost effective. In addition to the Veterans Supportive 

Housing Development, examples of FDL’s sustainable 

construction projects include the LEED-certified 

Natural Resources building; a planned solar project 

to support energy use at the Black Bear Casino; and 

the senior assisted-living facility and the Supportive 

Housing Development, both built to Minnesota Housing 

Finance Agency (MHFA) Green Communities Standards.

New Data Spurs Development

The State of Minnesota conducts point-in-time homeless studies, but reservation lands were not included 

until 2006. Even when reservation lands are included, the Housing Assistance Council and others note that 

Native Americans, especially in rural areas, may lack access to emergency shelters and may be less likely to 

sleep in locations not intended for human habitation, thereby resulting in an undercounting of homelessness 

among Native Americans. 

After a series of discussions, FDL and 10 other Minnesota tribes participated in an enlarged study to increase 

their own knowledge of the issue and help bring the needs of tribal members in extreme housing instability 

into the larger state discussion. FDL also participated in homeless studies that included tribes in 2009 and 

2012. All three of these studies found that 

a majority of respondents were living in 

doubled-up situations, which often indicates 

overcrowding. Between 2009 and 2012, the 

number of respondents who had been living 

with others temporarily for more than a year 

(usually in more than one location) increased 

from 48 to 75 percent of respondents. FDL 

has used these data to help develop longterm plans for addressing homelessness, 

leading first to the construction of the 

Supportive Housing Development, a 24-unit 

development housing homeless families and 

single people that opened in 2010.

24-unit Supportive Housing Development
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Sustainable Construction in Indian Country

Fond du Lac Honor Guard and Chairwoman Karen Diver at the grand opening

Honoring Those Who Serve

The homelessness studies in 2009 and 2012 asked additional questions that explored the military status 

of homeless individuals. According to a report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, American 

Indians and Alaska Natives (AIAN) serve in the military at a high rate, and their numbers include a higher 

concentration of female service members than all other races. AIAN veterans tend to be younger as a 

group; more likely to have suffered a disability, service-connected or otherwise; and more likely to lack 

health insurance than veterans of all other races.

The 2009 reservation study determined that 8 percent of male Native American respondents were 

veterans, and that 12 percent of these veterans had served in combat. Of Native American veterans, 24 

percent reported a service-related health concern. The 2012 study found that 4 percent of respondents 

were military veterans, with 20 percent of this group serving in combat and 30 percent having servicerelated health problems. Acting on this information, the FDL’s governing body, the Reservation Business 

Council (RBC), made developing housing for veterans a priority and charged the Planning Department 

with looking for funding opportunities aligned with this goal.
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Sustainable Construction in Indian Country

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Embracing Green Requirements

The Planning Department assembled a 

seven-partner funding team for the Veterans 

Supportive Housing development. One of these 

partners was the MHFA. Multifamily and singlefamily housing funded by the MHFA must 

participate in the MHFA Green Communities 

program. A partnership between the Greater 

Minnesota Housing Fund, the Family Housing 

Fund, and Enterprise Green Communities, 

MHFA Green Communities has become the 

largest green building program in Minnesota. 

The program was adapted from criteria 

developed by Enterprise Green Communities, 

and, while participants are encouraged to 

certify under the Enterprise Green Communities program, they are not required to. FDL became certified 

under the MHFA program using the 2011 requirements. Hollinday said, “The Veterans Housing would 

have included sustainable elements anyway, but the MHFA guidelines helped us increase the scale of these 

elements.”

Participants in the MHFA Green Communities program begin by submitting an MHFA worksheet outlining 

how they intend to address program criteria. Program criteria and requirements have changed somewhat 

over time. If project teams choose to certify with Enterprise Green Communities, the Enterprise process 

is used in lieu of completing the MHFA Green 

Communities worksheet. FDL’s project team included 

the DSGW Architects, a member of the U.S. Green 

Building Council; the DSGW architect ensured that 

the worksheets were successfully completed and, 

given the non-urban nature of the site, that a density 

waiver was filed, and oversaw the energy-efficiency 

measures. The MHFA Green Communities required a 

design charrette with the project architect, members 

of the Department of Housing and Urban Development 

(HUD), the FDL construction project manager, and 

other FDL staff. At the end of the construction process, 

the architect and construction team signed off on the 

final cost development and compliance worksheets, 

which the MHFA architect also reviewed.

Breaking ground at the Veterans Supportive 

Housing development site
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Sustainable Construction in Indian Country

Sustainable and Affordable

“We follow environmental principles, but our funding 

guides the specific choices and methods,” Hollinday 

said. Therefore Veterans Supportive Housing was 

designed with energy-efficiency and sustainability 

measures that Hollinday said “focus on affordability 

but make for a comfortable, efficient building.” 

Inside, the 10 one-bedroom units include ENERGY 

STAR bathroom fans with timers (vented outside the 

house because that is most effective), regionally rated 

ENERGY STAR windows, insulated cold water pipes, 

low VOC sealants and finishes, R-50 insulation in the 

attic (substantially exceeding code), ENERGY STAR 

fixtures and appliances, and high efficiency gas-fired 

boilers. The water fixtures and toilets are also high 

efficiency, aligned with WaterSense-labeling which is rated more efficient than federal guidelines.

Stormwater is collected and infiltrated at the site. Gutters and downspouts discharge water away from the 

building perimeter. The building orientation and layout were configured to let in natural light and warmth 

with winter sun as much as is feasible, while overhangs were sized to limit overheating during the summer. 

Light-colored roof shingles absorb less heat and harmonize with nearby buildings. The development has a 

Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score of 84, meaning that it uses 16 percent less energy than standard 

construction. When residents move in, they receive manuals that highlight building features and provide 

additional green living strategies.

Insulated water pipes
Sustainable Construction in Indian Country

Project Summary

LOCATION: Cloquet, Minnesota

DESIGN/PLAN TEAM: Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, DSGW Architects

TIMELINE: 2011 through July 2013

PROJECT TYPE: A multifamily building with 10 one-bedroom units and common areas

Project Key Features

• Affordability

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant

• Community space

• Support staff offices

• In-building laundry

• Slab-on-grade construction

• Radon and carbon monoxide detectors

Key Sustainable Elements

• Within 1⁄2 mile of services

• Passive solar eastern orientation

• Best practice erosion management strategies

• Best practice stormwater management

• WaterSense/high-efficiency water fixtures

• Site lighting controlled by photo cells

• Low VOC finishes and sealants

• Energy-efficient interior lighting

• ENERGY STAR windows and appliances

• High-efficiency gas-fired boiler

• Highly insulated

• Light-colored roof shingles

• Formaldehyde-free composite board

• Ventilation with air exchanger

Residents moved in August 2013

ENERGY STAR

appliances

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Adopted 

Kyoto 

Protocol.

Participated in a

homeless study 

that asked question 

about veterans’ status.

Submitted initial MHFA 

Green Communities 

application.

Grand 

opening.

Family Supportive 

Housing Development 

opened.

Land 

purchased.

Construction

began.

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Sustainable Construction in Indian Country

A Growing Sense of Community

To connect the housing to the community 

and culture, Veterans Supportive Housing is 

specifically located on the same lot of land as the 

FDL Supportive Housing Development. Architects 

integrated walkways and public use spaces like 

the barbeque and picnic shelter to support the 

development of community, but the proximity of 

the buildings also allows for shared staff resources. 

Both developments have offices on site for supportive services staff, partially supported by HUD Supportive 

Housing Program Grant funds through the American Indian Community Housing Organization. The two buildings 

share three case managers, an events manager, and a homeless-resource worker. The latter provides referrals and 

information for applicants who do not qualify for either housing development. The events manager sets up joint 

cultural events such as the beading class, holiday parties, and weekly veterans’ night out. In 2014, tenants held a 

crafts bazaar, where they sold handicrafts and baked goods to supplement their Christmas spending money.

Despite need, however, the development has not been at full capacity since it opened. Resident turnover has been 

low, but staff cites certain housing and income requirements as restricting the potential population. Applicants 

must be FDL Band members and veterans, meet state and HUD requirements for homelessness, and pass a 

background check. Veterans who have longer service terms and those with significant disability pension have 

sometimes had too much income to qualify. Staff may work with the HUD Office of Native American Programs to 

examine possibilities for building greater flexibility into the program.

The Metro Plains Management handles management and marketing. Staff members work hard to expand 

the pool of applicants. They advertise in local, regional, and Minneapolis newspapers; talk up the building at 

community events, such as the annual Veterans’ Powwow; conduct tours; and distribute applications to homeless 

shelters and homeless people in Duluth and elsewhere. Residents of the new housing development talk it up 

too, sharing their enthusiasm with building staff, visitors, and the community. Veterans Housing Case Manager 

Dawn Ammesmaki says that the residents want to make sure that others know just how great this housing is. 

An example of their growing sense of community, although residents have individual kitchens, is that they have 

chosen to eat together once a week or so. Ammesmaki also says that if someone is going through a difficult time, 

the other residents check in on that person.

Ammesmaki meets prospective residents to determine needs as part of the application process, but participation 

in all services is voluntary. “Their input is more important than my assessment,” she said. She is required only to 

“lay eyes on” each apartment once a month. She helps residents access services on the reservation and elsewhere, 

ensures that they have transportation to appointments (sometimes two to three trips in her car a week), helps 

with applications for services, and provides some food or small containers of dish soap. Metro Plains Management 

Community Manager Nicole Ammesmaki says, “When they move in, the residents really have nothing with them.”

Best Practices

FDL’s adoption of the Kyoto Protocol is one indication of how seriously the tribe is committed to addressing 

climate change head on. The band has built in several straightforward administrative best practices that facilitate 

continued successful sustainable and affordable planning and building processes. First, the RBC approves 

strategic planning goals for the tribe as a whole and also for each department. The Planning Department, for 

example, knows early on what goals are highest on RBC’s list; they have an automatic go-ahead to start an 

Supportive Housing Development
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Sustainable Construction in Indian Country

application when they see available funding, rather than having to use precious application development time 

gaining approval to proceed. Second, when sustainable materials or techniques are desired for a construction 

or rehabilitation project, the request for funding is specifically written to ask for competitors who have the 

needed skill sets or relationships with vendors. The project request for proposal, for example, requested a 

LEED-certified architect. Through trial and error, FDL has learned lessons about sustainable materials and about 

problems that a LEED-certified or similarly experienced architect could help another tribe avoid. An experienced 

architect will have industry contacts and know which specialized materials are not available in a particular 

market. To avoid construction delays and find the best price, these materials would need to be ordered as soon 

as possible. Also, not every material works in every climate or house.

FDL regularly inspects new construction and rehab projects to ensure that materials are properly installed, 

the requested materials have been used, and the materials are performing up to standards. Another key to 

successful development is having a good relationship with a local contractor—one the tribe has worked with 

before. In the case of a problem, the contractor could be on site in 10 minutes—and was. This approach built 

trust and made the whole process work better.

Next Steps

FDL plans to develop additional housing intended for tribal members who are military veterans and homeless, 

perhaps doubling the number of units currently available in the development. A critical element of the future 

plan would be meeting with HUD to review new guidance or explore current funding sources for waiver or use 

strategies. For example, the Indian Housing Block Grant program allows grantees to devote up to 10 percent of 

the annual allocation to assist tribal members at 80 to100 percent of the annual median income without HUD 

approval. 

Even while FDL increased its building inventory, it decreased its overall electricity consumption 20 percent 

between 2011 and 2013. FDL has been selected as a recipient of Minnesota’s Guaranteed Energy Savings 

Program, which will help the band take an even bigger bite out of costs. This program will provide FDL with 

technical assistance, including helping the tribe connect with and work with an Energy Service Company 

(ESCO) to receive an investment grade audit, developing a project proposal to incorporate Energy Conservation 

Reduction Measures, and following a Savings Measurement & Verification plan to ensure that guaranteed energy 

savings are met. Partnering with 

an ESCO enables tribes and others 

to finance large renewable energy 

and energy-efficiency projects with 

little or no upfront capital costs. The 

utility or ESCO partner is repaid with 

efficiency savings over time.

For more information:

Jason Hollinday

Director of Planning

Fond du Lac Reservation

1720 Big Lake Road

Cloquet, MN 55720

218–878–2625

jasonhollinday@fdlrez.com
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Sustainable Construction in Indian Country

How To Get Started

To learn more about the energy-efficiency strategies and construction techniques highlighted above, check 

out these resources.

Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Environmental Department:

http://www.fdlrez.com/newnr/environ/airmain.htm

EPA ENERGY STAR Program:

http://www.energystar.gov

EPA WaterSense Program:

http://www.epa.gov/watersense

Minnesota Guaranteed Energy Savings Program:

http://mn.gov/commerce/energy/topics/financial/Energy-Savings-Program/

Optimizing Site Potential:

http://www.wbdg.org/design/site_potential.php

EPA Stormwater BMPs:

http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/wswrd/wq/stormwater/bmp.html

EPA Erosion BMPs:

http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/npdes/swbmp/Construction-Site-Stormwater-Run-Off-Control.cfm

This best practice case study is one in a series that examines how Native American and Alaska Native 

communities have incorporated sustainable technologies and strategies into their housing development.

The Sustainable Construction in Indian Country initiative was created to support and increase sustainable 

construction practices in Native American communities. It is administered through the U.S. Department of 

Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Policy Development and Research in partnership with the Office of 

Native American Programs.

Photos courtesy of Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and DSGW Architects. 

Produced October 2015.