NOMINATED BY: 

Quorum Architects, Inc.

 

PEOPLE/ORGANIZATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EFFORT FEATURED IN THE NOMINATION:

• FCPC Executive Council

• Jeffrey A Crawford, FCPC Attorney General

• Potawatomi Business Development Corporation, Wgema Campus Developer

• Quorum Architects, Inc., Wgema Campus Architect

​

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The Forest County Potawatomi Community (FCPC), a federally recognized Indian tribe, incorporates a mission “…to respect all living things, to take only what we need from Mother Earth, and to preserve the air, water, and soil for our children…”. Using this mission as its guiding principle, FCPC has been able to make monumental changes in Wisconsin. FCPC seeks a zero carbon footprint and self produces renewable energy with over 3 MW of solar and purchases RECs to offset remaining sourced energy.

 

The Tribe’s impacts to the Milwaukee area involve historic renovation of the former Concordia College Campus who's dilapidated buildings are now FCPC’s Wgema Campus, each having been renovated to LEED standards. FCPC’s main operations in Milwaukee are in the Menomonee River Valley rust belt, an area of brownfields polluted by former industry. FCPC has taken a leadership role in remediating and redeveloping several properties in the area including its gaming operations, hotel, restaurants and its 2 MW biodigester which runs on liquid pumpable food wastes, eliminating a waste stream from local landfills and producing renewable energy.

 

FCPC takes environmental policy change to heart by advocating for best practices in air, water, sustainability.

BARRIERS ADDRESSED FOR THE COMMUNITY:

To the Potawatomi, “nature and the place of humans within nature form a cycle of mutual interdependence.” Recognizing this mutual interdependence, and heeding the lessons and directives of its Elders, the Tribe has taken significant actions to address air pollution and climate change as well as providing sources of green, renewable and sustainable energy.

 

The Tribe’s commitment to the environment is more pronounced given its previous removal from its aboriginal lands. Tribes have a unique and disquieting situation related to environmental resources; thus, the Tribe has put forth significant efforts to remediate past and prevent future environmental harm.

 

The Wgema Campus was envisioned by the Tribe as a rejuvenating force in Milwaukee’s Near West Side area. At the time of the Tribe’s acquisition, the historic campus was in significant disrepair. The campus facilities required a complete upgrade in line with the historic nature of the buildings. FCPC developed a Mission Statement for the Wgema Campus with goals of providing government facilities for the Tribe in Milwaukee, achieving diversification and opportunities for job creation. To meet these objectives, the Tribe developed a long term redevelopment plan with the Tribe’s strong environmental belief system and focus on sustainability.

​

NOTABLE SUSTAINABLE GOALS AND STRATEGIES USED:

FCPC has taken a number of actions to conscientiously conduct long-term energy planning. Beginning with Project Greenfire in 2007, the Tribe conducted full facility audits to determine its energy use and to provide a baseline upon which to measure its efforts. Project Greenfire resulted in immediate planning efforts to achieve reductions in use at each tribally owned facility through energy efficiency measures. Project Greenfire also resulted in the Tribe’s active pursuit of community energy planning and an environmental mission statement.

 

The Tribe’s driving force is its mission statement:

“...to respect all living things, to take only what we need from mother earth, and to preserve the air, water, and soil for our children. Reflecting these values, we take leadership in creating a sustainable and healthy world. We resolve to reduce our own environmental impacts and to take steps to remedy the impacts of others. We encourage others to do the same. We also seek legislative and policy changes that protect the environment for all people including generations to come.”

 

These initial efforts were essential to the Tribe’s momentum and commitment to all government and enterprise projects. FCPC has established a goal to achieve energy independence using only green, renewable energy resources and self-supplying all of the Tribe’s energy needs.

 

These efforts as well as the Tribe’s economic diversification, community improvement and environmental principals have resulted in the Tribe’s approach to projects. The Tribe has adopted policies, motions and due diligence plans requiring thorough consideration of a project’s impacts. Further, all new construction must be planned and developed to LEED standards, new construction must be built to incorporate renewable energy and support solar loads on rooftops, and each division within the government or tribal enterprises are required to devote budget dollars to energy efficiency, retrofitting and green energy installations.

​

Throughout FCPC Government:

• Initiated Project Greenfire

• Conducted comprehensive energy audit to establish a baseline of energy use and to identify projects (list of 100) to reduce carbon footprint

• Initial focus on the low-hanging fruit: energy efficiency

• Changed FCPC government schedule to 4 day/10 hour work week to reduce carbon impact from commuting

• Purchased RECs (from wind) to offset all energy use for fossil fuel sourced energy

• Created and staffed Environmental Attorney, Air Quality Manager, and Energy Specialist positions 

• Participates in Wisconsin Governor’s Climate Change Task Force

• Developed master plan and started redevelopment of abandoned college campus in urban transitional neighborhood

• Developed LEED Gold BD+C Data Holdings Data Center

• Installed 30 kW solar photovoltaic panels at Milwaukee Administration Building during the 3rd quarter of 2011

• Developed and operate a 2 MW anaerobic digester biogas co-generation facility on Milwaukee Casino campus and created own operating entity.

• Developed LEED Silver BD+C Potawatomi Casino Hotel

• Continued development of solar PV with 455 kW array at PBC, 500 kW scattered site in Crandon

• Instituted single stream recycling, green housekeeping practices, recycling of grease trap waste, and recycling of food waste to biodigester.

• Continue partnership with Wisconsin utilities’ Focus on Energy to identify and underwrite continued Energy Conservation Measure in lighting, mechanical and electrical equipment and controls

 

Wgema Campus:
The Tribe has used permeable pavers in the parking areas, rain gardens, prairies and native plantings, low flow water features, programmable thermostats, self-regulating lighting and other features to recreate a space that is socially responsible, functional and beautiful.  In doing so, the Tribe has demonstrated that redevelopment of historic buildings can be performed to LEED standards; suggesting that the push to demolish older construction may be overcome with creative and thoughtful planning. 

​

Wgemas was a USGBC WNC 2020 Regional Leadership Award of Merit recipient in the Innovative Project, Interiors category.  Learn more HERE.