Jack Frost may be firmly maintaining his icy grip on the large majority of the country, but Florida and Arizona are enjoying the sound of wood striking rawhide, the smell of hot dogs grilling, and the sight of throngs of fans itching to get a first glimpse of their favorite players’ preparations for the upcoming MLB season. On March 3rd of this year, MLB’s spring training games began. Athletic prowess won’t be all that’s on display. Many teams have recently implemented state of the art innovations aimed at greening their spring training operations—saving energy and minimizing environmental impact, all while providing fans a better experience. The Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies have gone above and beyond in reducing their ecological footprint though the 2011 construction of the MLB’s first LEED Gold certified spring training complex: The Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona (1).
As the first spring training complex to be built on Native American land, builders and designers initially focused on respecting the land and surrounding desert ecosystem (1). Because Spring Training lasts for less than two months, one of the goals of the project was for the complex to serve other purposes during the rest of the year. Thus, only 1/3 of the parking lots were paved, allowing the rest to be used as recreational fields for the community during the remainder of the year (4). While constructing the complex, over 40% of the materials were locally sourced (4). Additionally, care was taken that the majority of building waste was diverted away from landfills and incinerators (2).
A major concern when building in an arid environment is water conservation. Though the mostly-grass parking lots alone offer tremendous benefits, Salt River Fields redoubled their efforts through the creation of a passive water recollection system. The complex mimics the surrounding desert through usage of artificial arroyos to direct runoff into a retention pond, which provides a source of water for other uses (4). The landscaping design called for using native, drought-tolerant plants in order to minimize demand for irrigation (3).
The Salt River Fields at the Talking Stick complex were also constructed in an environmentally mindful way, aiming to reduce the negative effects of the near constant sunlight the area experiences. Architects oriented the stadium so that 85% of the seats are shaded during the games (3). The combination of large roof overhangs and terracotta shade screens serves to cool interior areas too, reducing air conditioning needs (4). In order to preserve the natural shade provided by native vegetation, most mature trees and cacti were protected rather than removed during the complex’s construction (2).
All of these choices have served to make Salt River Fields not only environmentally friendly, but also a fan favorite. Fans have flocked to the new stadium since its construction, setting Cactus League attendance records (3). The Diamondbacks, Rockies, and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community have made it clear that focusing on sustainability and improving the fan experience can be done simultaneously, for the benefit of all.
(1) Reichard, Kevin. “2011 Ballpark of the Year: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.” Ballpark Digest. Accessed Feb 8 2015. http://ballparkdigest.com/201201304447/awards/news/2011-ballpark-of-the-year-salt-river-fields-at-talking-stick
(2) “Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.” USGBC. Accessed Feb 8 2015. http://www.usgbc.org/projects/salt-river-fields-talking-stick
(3) “Salt River Fields at Talking Stick: Stories.” USGBC. Accessed Feb 8 2015. http://www.usgbc.org/projects/salt-river-fields-talking-stick?view=stories
(4) “D-Backs Go Green.” Arizona Diamondbacks. Accessed Feb 8 2015. http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/ari/ballpark/information/index.jsp?content=gogreen