In celebration of Earth Day 2019, the Minnesota Twins announced today that they have achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Gold recertification for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, resulting from the club’s continued enhancements to Target Field, the “Greenest Ballpark in America.” 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. 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.”

For more information on the Twins award-winning sustainability platform at Target Field, please see below.

About LEED Performance Path

The LEED Gold certification was earned at Target Field by recertifying via the U.S. Green Building Council’s new LEED Performance Path certification option. By utilizing LEED Performance Path, Target Field becomes the first sports venue in the nation to recertify through this program using Arc. Target Field earned LEED points by taking advantage of credit from the previous certification efforts, as well as tracking and improving operations such as alternative transportation use, energy/water efficiency, waste diversion and recycling, air quality, and human experience.

TARGET FIELD: THE “GREENEST BALLPARK IN AMERICA”

Twins Sustainability Statement

The Minnesota Twins organization believes our future success – both on and off the field – is built on a business model that embraces operational efficiency, environmental stewardship and social responsibility. We honor the power of sport by leading through example, and we will continue to use sport to inspire, build the best fan experience and cause no unnecessary harm, working with our fans, community, suppliers and partners and employees to have a positive influence in the world.

LEED Certified

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. 

Capturing and Reusing Rainwater

Through a custom-designed Rain Water Recycle System provided by Minneapolis-based Pentair, the Minnesota Twins have captured, purified and reused more than 19 million total gallons of rainwater, drastically reducing the use of municipal water at Target Field. The majority of the recycled rainwater is used to wash down the seating bowl attached to the main concourse.

Recycling, Composting and Converting Waste to Energy

Through aggressive recycling and waste-to-energy programs, the Twins have kept more than 10,870 tons of waste out of local landfills from 2011 to 2018:

· 3,520 tons of trash have been sent to the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center

· 4,151 tons of waste have been recycled from Target Field

· 3,199 tons of organic materials have been composted and diverted from landfills

Since 2015, the Twins have partnered with Eco-Products – the nation’s leading brand of single-use foodservice packaging made from renewable and recycled resources – to supply Target Field’s compostable cups, plates, trays, utensils and straws. Much of the packaging relies on a material called Ingeo™, a compostable resin made by a company called NatureWorks headquartered a short distance from Target Field in Minnetonka, MN. Thanks to the partnership with Eco-Products and the help of fans, the Twins have composted 2,207 tons of trash over the last four years (2015-18).

Donating Unused Food to Local Charities

The Minnesota Twins and concession partner Delaware North Sportservice donate more than 10 tons of food to local charities each season. Through a partnership with Rock and Wrap It UP!, Inc., representatives from Joseph’s Storehouse in Brooklyn Park box up all prepared but untouched meals at Target Field, donating the unused food from Target Field to local charities. To date, these efforts have kept more than 53 tons of waste out of local landfills. Throughout the partnership, the Twins have donated;

· 307,411 hot dogs and brats

· 50,560 hamburgers

· 24,047 chicken breasts

Connecting People and Places – Target Field Station

Opened in 2014 at 5th St. N and 5th Ave. N in downtown Minneapolis (north side of Target Field, near Gate 6), Target Field Station is a multi-modal transportation hub offering commuters, baseball fans and downtown visitors connections to 500 trains daily via the METRO Blue and Green lines and the Northstar Commuter Rail.

Reducing Energy Use via LED Lighting

Installed between the 2016 and 2017 seasons, the field lighting at Target Field was upgraded to LED technology. By reducing fixture count from 746 to approximately 512, energy use was reduced by approximately 55 percent. LED fixtures were also used to illuminate the underside of the ballpark canopy.

“Living Wall” Batter’s Eye Brings Beauty, Playability and Sustainability

New for 2019, the Target Field “living wall” batter’s eye – the first of its kind in Major League Baseball – incorporates approximately 5,700 sea green juniper plants, individually installed and secured in a tiered, multiple-tray system. Together, the junipers create a consistent, stationary background of lush greenery, providing both beauty and a world-class hitter’s backdrop. The structure is self-irrigated via Pentair’s rain water system.