Nat’s Stadium Still Growing
2 04 2008Well the new stadium is officially open! So of course we want to celebrate the big first win for the Nationals, however we are NOT talking about the one over the Braves (thank you Ryan Zimmerman)!
We of course are talking about the stadiums certification of Silver LEED status, making it the first MLB stadium in the country to achieve such status! Of course the efficient lighting, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, air-cooled chillers, and recycling bins all contributed to this achievement, but what really got our attention is the amazing green roof!
The 6,300-sq-ft green roof is on top of the left-field concession building that houses Red Hot & Blue and Hard Times Cafe. The roof is planted with about 1,200 drought-resistant shrubs courtesy of a donation from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Though as you can see in the photo, the roof isn’t really that green right now. It will take at least a year for the roof to start having a measurable effect, one of the drawbacks of planting new vegetation, instead of older plants.
The Nat’s green roof isn’t the only one in the area either, the DOT’s got themselves a nice one too! Near Southeast has got to be the greenest area of town thanks to all the new construction and the 2006 District rules requiring all new buildings employ sustainable design. [Flickr Photo: CStein96]
So green that they have the lights on every night through the morning everyday since the first game, (maybe it is wind energy). They should really think about opening a biodiesel station right night to the place, and use the thousands of gallons of grease used by the vendors.
A salute to the decision makers for adding the green roof! The decision makers that approved the green roof should be commended!
thanks for using my photo!