Target Field – LEED Silver Certified

Address: 1 Twins Way, Minneapolis, MN 55401

Overview:

Nestled in the historic warehouse district of downtown Minneapolis, Target Field is the most urban ballpark in the country. Home to the Minnesota Twins, the Major League Baseball team for the Minneapolis Saint Paul metropolitan area and greater “Twins Territory,” the new ballpark achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification and is the greenest MLB ballpark based on certification points achieved.

Placed on a previously contaminated industrial site on the edge of downtown Minneapolis, the new ballpark connects the historic warehouse neighborhood with downtown Minneapolis by literally bridging over rail lines and highways that separate the two districts. The project’s location provides close proximity to the City Center Shopping area, condominiums and a multitude of local businesses, including the First Avenue Entertainment district, providing yet another draw to the downtown area.  

Benefits:

Target Field has created a new transportation hub in downtown Minneapolis, linking Metro Transit’s newly extended Hiawatha light rail line and the Northstar commuter rail service. The nearby Metro Bus station and bike trail also provide alternative transportation access to the ballpark. 

The project includes a custom-designed rainwater recycling system to capture, conserve and reuse rainwater. Water cisterns buried under the playing field will capture water, which will then be filtered through an intricate mechanical filtration system; this purified water will then be used for field irrigation and seating bowl wash-down. It is estimated this system will save more than 1.26 million gallons of water per year.

Additional water-saving fixtures, such as low-flow urinals, dual-flush toilets and aerated faucets in Target Field will use 30 percent less potable (drinking) water than conventional fixtures. This will save more than 4.2 million gallons of potable water per year, reducing the ballpark’s operating costs and demand on the municipal water supply and treatment facility.

Energy efficient sports lighting fixtures and purchased Green-e accredited Tradable Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) that equal to 70% of the predicted annual electrical consumption over a two-year period are a sampling of the ways this ballpark cut energy costs as compared to other sports venues.

The stadium benefited from Xcel Energy’s Energy Design Assistance program which provided free energy modeling and incentives to implement energy saving strategies. In addition, the foodservice equipment installed qualified for natural gas rebates from CenterPoint Energy.

The selection of the ballpark’s building material, furniture and components is focused on the use of recycled content, regional availability, and compatibility with LEED indoor air quality standards. By cost value, 27.5% of the total building materials content has been manufactured using recycled materials and 28.7% of the total building materials value is comprised of building materials and/or products that have been extracted, harvested or recovered, as well as manufactured within 500 miles of the project site. Similarly, the construction waste generated onsite, 22,433 tons (67.59%) has diverted from the landfill.

From an operational standpoint, the Minnesota Twins have committed to continuing the goals of sustainability by providing a smoke-free facility as well as the development and implementation of a green housekeeping program. 

Project Partners:

For more information on the project visit the Minnesota Twins website or contact Chris Iles at 612-659-3503.

Energy Innovation Corridor fact sheet

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