Take a virtual tour of Holy Wisdom Monastery! The new monastery was dedicated in November 2009, and received 63 out of a possible 69 points on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) NC-v2.2 scale, the highest score ever awarded. Learn about the features of what makes this building green and how it was kept to the low cost of $241 per square foot, including the decommissioning of our old St. Benedict Center building.

3. Sisters Lynne Smith, Joanne Kollasch & Mary David Walgenbach Benedictine Women of Madison

7. Land Restoration Projects 95 acres of native prairie restored 1996 to present 10,000 year old glacial lake restored 1997 - 1999

9. “ Weaving prayer, hospitality, justice care of the earth into a shared way of life as an ecumenical Benedictine community.” and

11. Prayer Oratory Assembly Room

12. Hospitality

13. Justice

14. Care for the Earth The new monastery building was constructed to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification level

18. Stormwater Management Erosion control berm

19. Blending with the natural landscape Building carefully set into hillside

20. Blending with the natural landscape Trees protected between buildings

21. Drilling 39 geothermal wells – each 300 feet deep

22. Geothermal wells before connection

23. Connecting the wells

24. Compaction of geothermal system (Below the frost line)

25. Geothermal piping into the maintenance building (3 arrays with 13 wells connected to each)

26. Geothermal heat pumps in the maintenance building

27. Geothermal circulating pumps in the maintenance building

28. High pressure pump for fire protection sprinkler system

29. Multiple insulation layers

30. Operable upper (and lower) windows

31. Solar tubes bring natural light into interior spaces

32. Natural day-lighting in all occupied areas

33. Operable windows for natural ventilation

34. Custom glazed wood windows to manage glare and heat gain .

36. Tankless water heaters Instant natural gas heaters for kitchen and dish washing room

37. Baptismal font – local materials

38. Bamboo floors – rapidly renewable resource

42. Re-installing the organ

43. Outdoor gathering area with permanent fire pit

44. Parking area over geothermal wells. Photovoltaic parking lot lights.

45. Parking area Pervious concrete in some stalls for water infiltration.

46. Installing green roof over garage drainage under pavers and added insulation

47. Green roof 4 months after planting reflective materials used for pavers

48. Rain garden, rough grading Will include 2 feet of engineered soil mixture to optimize plant growth and water infiltration

49. Photovoltaic cells Will generate 15% of the building’s energy needs

50. White roof for reflectivity

51. Installing columbarium in Memorial Garden

52. Columbarium in Memorial Garden