For a group of Minnesota high school students, shop class just got a serious upgrade. Led by Just Housing, a community-focused design firm in Duluth, students from Cloquet and Wrenshall are gaining valuable, hands-on experience working alongside industry experts.
At the foundation of this project is Just Housing’s partnerships with the University of Minnesota Extension’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) and the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs), a statewide partnership that helps people and their communities advance community-based clean energy projects.
Leah Karmaker, a designer with Just Housing, says the results are two tiny, high-performance buildings that will be donated to local causes. But from the beginning, the project has always been about building something even bigger.
“The students are learning about sustainability and how to reduce the environmental impacts of building, but it’s also about supporting their own economic mobility,” she explains.
“Our homes and their energy use directly impact the people living in them,” she says. “If utility bills are too high, it affects whether families can afford essentials like food. By opening up career pathways in high-performance building, students gain valuable skills they can use to then impact their communities.”
EmPOWERing a workforce
Since its founding in 2020, Just Housing has focused on creating green housing solutions and training the workforce needed to build them. As a small, two-woman operation, Just Housing’s partnerships are essential to laying the groundwork for change. Which is why, when dreaming up the EmPOWERment Project, Just Housing turned to CERTs for support.
Nik Allen, Northeast CERT Coordinator, says the partnership is a natural fit for CERTs support and locally identified needs.
“In northeastern [Minnesota], we absolutely need an energized, incoming workforce in this industry,” she explains. “Just Housing is known in the Duluth area for its high-efficiency buildings. So the CERTs’ local steering committee was really excited about this proven, woman-led venture teaching local youth and community about this work.”
With CERTs support, Just Housing led a multi-layered outreach project to share information about green building, clean energy and related workforce opportunities. Karmaker says the team spent time in the community, visiting schools, community colleges, career fairs, workforce training programs, and industry events.
“We went into classrooms and taught high school students about blueprint reading, drafting, 3D modeling, and building science. We also led an activity with students where they built both a conventional wall and a super-insulated wall, then tested how much heat each one lost,” she recalls.
Ultimately, the project impacted hundreds of people in the community. Karmaker says it was a success and also provided opportunities where the framework could be strengthened.
“We noticed that people don't always understand the links between buildings and energy consumption or environmental impact,” she says. “And high school teachers often don't have the opportunity to gain experience in high-performance building. So that experience really inspired us to think bigger.”
Building into the future
Ready to keep designing, Just Housing went back to the drafting board. Building on the EmPOWERment Project, the team wanted to give students and teachers hands-on experience with high-performance buildings. In partnership with teachers, local carpenters, and Northeast RSDP, they launched the Green Design Building Capstone. The capstone invited shop classes from Cloquet and Wrenshall high schools to construct tiny, energy-efficient buildings.
“We want students to have exposure to all the elements of high-performance building,” says Karmaker. “But the projects also need to be a manageable size to build and transport.”
At each school, students helped build structures designed with solar panels, battery-powered electrical systems, high-efficiency insulation, and ventilation systems. Local professionals were invited to visit the class and provide real-world guidance and mentorship.
“Not only do the students get to learn from these professionals,” Karmaker says, “they also build meaningful industry connections.”
In addition to students’ enthusiasm, their teachers noticed a sense of pride when it comes to working alongside the professionals.
“One of the teachers overheard the students saying, ‘Randy's coming tomorrow! We really gotta get this stuff done!’” Karmaker recalls with a warm laugh. “They really took ownership of it.”
In the fall, a batch of new students will get a chance to learn from the buildings and add the finishing touches before the structures are donated. One will serve as a study space for the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, a school closely aligned with the green building industry. The other will serve as a multi-purpose space for single mothers supported by Divine Konnections Incorporated, a local nonprofit.
In addition to their many community partners, Karmaker says the support from CERTs and RSDP has made all the difference.
“These organizations open the door to innovation and community collaboration,” she says. “They support the generation of solutions for community resilience and the opportunity to test those solutions in real-world applications.”
“It's just absolutely necessary,” she concludes. “There's no way that this project would be possible without it.”
From Classroom to Construction: AmeriCorps year with Northeast RSDP
As an AmeriCorps Climate Impact Corps member serving with Northeast RSDP, Sarah Clauss has worn many hats. Their role in the Just Housing project stands out as one of the most meaningful. Clauss served as a key coordinator and communicator, helping manage the moving parts of the hands-on clean energy education effort.
Clauss brings an academic background in environmental science and water systems to the role. They earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the University of Vermont’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. While serving as an AmeriCorps member, they also completed a master’s degree in water resources science at the University of Minnesota.
“I was really excited to get to do more public-facing, community-driven, impact-focused work,” Clauss said. “This was a huge broadening for me. I had spent two years focused on a very narrow research problem. Then suddenly, I was supporting projects about a range of topics including wild rice resources, green building design and community resilience.”
The Just Housing project gave them a front-row seat to a blend of climate education and youth empowerment. They learned the technical content alongside the students and saw how the curriculum and the people behind it made a lasting impression.
“Rachel [Wagner] and Leah [Karmaker] at Just Housing are just incredible,” Clauss said. “They’re deeply committed to their local community and to ensuring that green building isn’t just about climate-smart design. It’s about empowering young people and creating stronger, more connected places.”
As their AmeriCorps service term comes to a close, Clauss is heading back to their roots in Vermont for a nature-based early childhood education role, continuing their commitment to environmental learning and community-based work.
“It was incredibly inspiring to see how much amazing local work is happening,” Clauss said. “There are so many people in this region showing up with passion and drive, and that gives me so much hope.”
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