At Cascade Meadow, visitors can study a floor map of the Zumbro River's watershed and manipulate interactive exhibits.
STAND IN EFFICIENCY Visitors interested in probing how things work need only look
around the 16,000-square-foot center. It is designed to be among the most energy-efficient commercial structures in Minnesota. The building relies entirely on geothermal heating drawn from
a pond on the property. Two wind turbines and three solar pan- els provide part of its electricity; the sun also heats its water. The building’s ventilation is computer-controlled. Two stories of floor- to-ceiling windows admit light while its passive solar design helps to regulate temperature.
CAPTURE RAINWATER AND IDEAS “Cascade Meadow is a demonstration site where people can get
new ideas—from energy-saving light bulbs to low-flow toilets, from green roofs to wind turbines—about how to integrate sustainable choices into their own lives,” says Lisa Eadens, the center’s first executive director. A striking exterior design contributes to one Cascade Meadow environmental goal: capturing and holding storm water on its site. Its wing-shaped roof catches rain and drops it on special terraces, where it seeps into the ground. Porous walkways also absorb rainfall. A series of “biocells” between rows in the parking lot stop runoff water and use it to grow plants. But the new center’s largest water project is taking shape on the
wetter side of its 100 acres. Cascade Meadow is recreating seven types of native wetlands that existed in Minnesota before settlement. Visitors eventually will be able to explore the wetlands and its wildlife over two miles of walking trails. h
CASCADE MEADOW WETLANDS & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CENTER Location: 2900 19th St. NW Size: 100 acres, with 89 to be preserved as native Minnesota wetlands or (dry) uplands Type: Educational science center focusing on our environment Areas of concentration: Connections to water and energy; con- servation of electricity and water; wetlands restoration; sustainable building; renewable energy Programs: Indoor and outdoor exhibits, seminars, classes, outdoors experiences Contact: 507-252-8133 or
www.cascademeadow.org Hours: Phone for seasonal schedules Organization: Private, non-profit corporation. Heavily funded by a local philanthropist. Partners: Rochester Public Utilities, Zumbro Watershed Partnership, City of Rochester Public Works Department and Water Reclamation Plant
HAVE TIME FOR A TRAIL?
Cascade Meadow visitors can explore several topics in depth on three, short trails in the immediate area of the science center. All offer information stations explaining features and how they work. All are wheelchair-accessible.
Experience Rochester 2012 55
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