All eye's are on the preparation of Monday's NFL game between the Vikings and Bears at TCF Stadium, home of the University of Minnesota's Golden Gophers. While there's lots of concern with when play will return to the Metrodome, due to
this, and the logistics of TCF hosting this game, here at Turfhugger we are going straight to the environmental aspects of this location, and as you'll see there's a lot going on at TCF Stadium.
As of September 9th 2009, the TCF Bank Stadium was the first
LEED certified collegiate or professional football facility in the US. LEED Certification of TCF Bank Stadium was based on a number of green design and construction features, including:
- A 50 percent reduction in the use of potable water for landscape irrigation.
- A storm water management system that allows rain water to be captured into a comprehensive underground filtering system outside the stadium, where it is harvested, filtered and drained into the Mississippi River.
- Steel for the stadium is 90 percent recycled and was fabricated primarily in Minneapolis.
- A reflective roof to reduce heat island effect.
- Paint, carpet, sealants and adhesives that are low in volatile organic compounds, which can aggravate health problems.
- 98 percent of the construction waste from the site was recycled.
- A 30 percent reduction in indoor potable water use.
