Thanks to continued upgrades to Target Field, the Minnesota Twins have achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Gold recertification for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance. LEED is the world’s most widely used program for the design, construction and operation of high-performance buildings.
After the Twins opened Target Field as the second Major League Baseball facility to earn LEED Silver for New Construction (in 2010), the team then became the first professional sports franchise to receive LEED Silver for both construction and Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (in 2011). In 2017, the Twins became the first to attain LEED Gold for operation and maintenance of their facility.
Target Field is also the nation’s first sports venue to earn three levels of LEED certification through Arc, the state-of-the art digital platform that uses real-time data to help benchmark, measure and improve sustainability performance. Arc is the first of its kind to track progress through a performance score, enabling projects to make more informed decisions when it comes to sustainability.
“The Twins organization remains fully committed to being an industry leader in regards to environmental sustainability,” team President & CEO Dave St. Peter said. “Growing Target Field’s sustainability platform remains a critical priority for the franchise and our fans.”
The Twins’ many environmental stewardship efforts include a custom-designed Rain Water Recycle System provided by Minneapolis-based Pentair, helping the organization capture, purify and reuse more than 19 million total gallons of rainwater at Target Field to date; aggressive recycling and waste-to-energy programs that have kept more than 10,870 tons of waste out of local landfills since 2011; a shared initiative with Delaware North Sportservice to partner with Rock and Wrap It UP!, Inc. to donate more than 10 tons of food to local charities each season; LED fixtures for field and canopy lighting; and, a long-term partnership with Eco-Products to provide the ballpark’s compostable cups, plates, trays, utensils and straws.
New in 2019, the Twins installed Major League Baseball’s first “living wall” batter’s eye at Target Field (rendering above). Among the largest “living walls” in the continental United States at 2,280 square feet, the structure’s 5,700-plus sea green juniper plants are self-irrigated through the Pentair Rain Water Recycle System. Together, the junipers create a consistent, stationary background of lush greenery, providing beauty, sustainability and a world-class hitter’s backdrop.
“The Twins organization’s commitment to LEED demonstrates a tremendous amount of green building leadership within the world of professional sports,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). “Target Field is a prime example of how innovative technology and sustainable solutions can create a better experience for everyone who steps foot in this stadium.”
Rendering courtesy Minnesota Twins.
RELATED STORIES: “Living Wall” on Tap for Target Field Batter’s Eye; Target Field Earns LEED Gold for Operations and Maintenance