The Minnesota Twins are set to christen their new green stadium on April 12th in a game against the Boston Red Sox! Target Field is ready for opening day and during its construction no green features were spared. From a rainwater collection system to low-VOC finishes, energy efficient lighting, and LEED certification, the new stadium finds the Minnesota Twins joining the Washington Nationals in the small club of teams with eco-conscious baseball fields.
The ground broke on the new stadium in 2007 but the team officially moves out of the Metrodome and into their new home this season. They’ll seek LEED certification for their ballpark and surely have included the features to prove its sustainable worth. The 40,000 seat park has a rainwater collection system underneath the ball field, low VOC finishes and sealants, energy efficient lighting, native landscaping, a solar reflective roof, energy efficient heating and ventilation systems and a ton of bike racks. The stadium is also totally accessible by Minneapolis public transportation.
Two years ago Major League Baseball partnered with the National Resources Defense Council to help assist baseball parks in greening their facilities and operations. The Twins franchise has taken this partnership to the next level, going above and beyond the recycling initiatives most teams have implemented in recent years. Chris Iles — the corporate communications manager for the Twins — says greening the stadium is, “the right thing for the environment and for the community. Major League Baseball’s Greening Program is part of what we do but quite frankly, I feel like what we’ve done is far beyond that.”
+ Minnesota Twins
Via The Post Bulletin
