Sustainable practices have been a topic of interest for decades within the design community. Architects and engineers alike are keen on the use of alternative energy sources such as wind and solar, but only recently have they shifted focus to building materials and methods as a potential solution for more environmentally conscious design. Our material selections and where they are sourced impacts our carbon footprint in ways we are just beginning to understand. One such material is the use of mass timber or cross laminated timber (CLT). Introduced in Europe, mass timber construction has slowly grown in popularity internationally. After years of implementation overseas, CLT has finally made its appearance in the U.S. and has now even been incentivized in cities such as Portland and Seattle to meet sustainability requirements both locally, and at a state level. Unfortunately these recent innovations in sustainable design are slow to be implemented inland in areas such as the Midwest. This thesis explores the use of CLT and other sustainable materials and strategies in a Midwestern context. The intent of this thesis is to educate, inform, and inspire people to invest in our environment and design for the future by making sustainable building decisions in cold climates. To do this, I developed a Sustainable Design Learning Center in Duluth MN that uses design methods such as green building certifications like LEED and WELL, the use of CLT, daylighting and other materials to educate people on how we can build more intelligently for the future of our planet.