The new home of the Minnesota Twins becomes the second LEED-certified ballpark in Major League Baseball, earning Silver Certification after collecting the most certification points ever awarded to a professional ballpark.

“The Minnesota Twins organization would like to thank the USGBC for this wonderful recognition of Target Field,” Twins Owner and CEO Jim Pohlad said. “Gaining LEED certification has been a longstanding goal for the Twins, Hennepin County and the Minnesota Ballpark Authority as we have collectively shared the responsibility to ensure strong environmental stewardship. It’s our sincere hope that the sustainability aspects of Target Field will provide inspiration to other local, regional and national projects of this magnitude.”

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a rating system that was designed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to guide and distinguish high performance buildings that have less of an impact on the environment, are healthier for those who use the building and are more profitable than their conventional counterparts.

The USGBC originally created the LEED Certification process to promote environmentally responsible design in such buildings as offices, schools and hospitals. Only recently has the sporting world realized the impact LEED Certification could have on its building types. Design firm Populous managed the LEED Certification process for Target Field and has been a pioneer in the greening of sports facilities. This is the firm’s fourth sports facility to achieve LEED Certification.

“Target Field is baseball’s most urban ballpark, and the site constraints we faced were actually paramount to achieving LEED Certification,” said Earl Santee, Populous Senior Principal. “With the addition of new, immediate access to public transportation at the ballpark, we’ve helped to bridge the site to its urban surroundings as a model for positive growth. That’s at the heart of why this recognition is so important.”

Set in the Warehouse District of downtown Minneapolis, Target Field’s site dictated much of the approach to LEED Certification. The ballpark rests on soil that once was contaminated. That soil was treated and replaced. Also, a massive cistern system buried under the warning track will contain storm water that will be specially filtered and reused to wash down the seating bowl and for irrigation.

Target Field is also the hub for a variety of public transportation options, including rail, bike and bus routes.

“Earning LEED Certification was a priority for Hennepin County from the time we undertook the ballpark project four years ago. On top of everything else that has made Target Field a successful and gratifying partnership, I’m proud of this recognition for our environmental stewardship,” said Hennepin County Board Chair Mike Opat. “The Board is appreciative of all the good that was done to earn this Silver Certification.”

Target Field received 36 points toward LEED Certification -- 2 more than Nationals Park received, thus becoming the most sustainable outdoor baseball facility in the country. Many of Target Field’s LEED points were based on innovative design, construction and operations measures, some never before implemented into ballpark design.

Some of the green design elements included:

• Energy use reduction – achieved through high efficiency field lighting, interior lighting and heating/cooling and ventilation equipment.
• Water use reduction – achieved through water-saving fixtures such as low-flow urinals and dual-flush toilets as well as a specially designed rain water filter system used to capture runoff, filter it and use it both to wash down the seating bowl and for irrigation.
• Game Day Recycling – Recyclable collection points stationed conveniently around Target Field will keep an estimated 400 cubic yards of material over the course of a three-game home stand from going to landfills.
• Public transportation access – Target Field was built to include a public transportation hub where commuter and light rail lines terminate, adjacent to a major bus hub as well as access by bike riders and pedestrians.
• Recycled Materials – More than 30% of all installed materials are made up of recycled content including the canopy structure, masonry blocks, carpet and the foul poles.
• Local Materials – Locally sourced materials were used to limit energy costs related to shipping and also stimulated the local economy.
• Construction Waste – In an effort to reduce the impact on local landfills, more than 70% of the waste generated through the construction of Target Field was recycled or reused. This included all concrete, wood, cardboard, metals and paper.
• Reduced Pollution – Early precautions were taken prior to performing construction activities to control soil erosion, waterway sedimentation and airborne dust.

The 2006 ballpark legislation made LEED certification a goal of the project, if grant funds were available to assist in the effort. With the ballpark's aggressive design and construction schedule, the project team could not wait on the outcome of outside grant requests. To address this issue and ensure LEED certification efforts continued, the Minnesota Twins provided $1.5 million, and the Minnesota Ballpark Authority provided $1 million in additional resources, in December of 2007.