Marlins Park is tracking well to become the first LEED Silver Certified retractable roof Ballpark in Baseball.

The Marlins Park construction team has initiated an aggressive waste management recycling program. Currently, more than 98% of the construction waste is being recycled. Primary items being recycled are: asphalt, cardboard, concrete, metal, steel, paper, plastic and wood, among others. The design of the ballpark has focused on including green initiatives, with a goal to incorporate pre-consumer and post-consumer recycled content that will ultimately represent more than 20% of the total material incorporated into the ballpark. The team has also specified materials harvested and manufactured within 500 miles of the job site to reduce transportation emissions and support the local economy. As the ballpark progresses, other green project elements will include the use of low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paints, adhesives, carpets and flooring to improve the indoor air quality in the ballpark. Additionally, each site office complex conducts independent recycling with the goal to donate any money from this program to a local entity for them to start their own green efforts.

Construction Waste Management- Recycling

• Before LEED, it is estimated that 40% of waste in landfills in United States were coming from construction projects. LEED aims to reduce this number by recycling construction waste.
  • Recycling- construction debris is hauled away to recycling centers where debris is sorted out into wood, metal, etc.
  • So far approximately 98% of all construction waste has been diverted to recycling centers.

Material Selection

• Regional Material: Concrete is processed and manufactured locally. Supporting the regional economy and reducing environmental impacts from transportation.
  • Regional Material: Other materials like steel, landscaping, as well as many more will help achieve this credit.
  • Currently project is achieving 51% regional content.
  • Material with Recycled content: Currently 41% of material cost spent to date has been for material composed Recycle content. This includes the steel for the retractable roof, steel for the exterior façade support, and fly ash in concrete.

Indoor Environmental Quality

• Indoor Air Quality Plan- reduces indoor air quality from the construction process in order to help sustain comfort & well-being of the workers & future building occupants.
• Utilizing sealants, paint & adhesives with low VOC (volatile organic compounds). VOCs can contribute to the formation of smog and can be potentially harmful to individuals with certain allergies and other conditions.
• Protecting air vents during the construction process & replacing all air filtration media prior to occupancy.

Energy

• Glass Façade- Building is designed to allow natural light, minimizing the need for artificial light.
  • Energy Efficiency will encourage a wide variety of energy strategies including energy use monitoring; efficient design and construction; efficient appliances, and lighting systems.

Sustainable Sites

• Site is developed with a maximum open space that is vegetated with landscaping to promote biodiversity.
  • Alternative Transportation is promoted through bicycle storage areas along with current bus routes.
  • Preferred parking for low emitting and fuel efficient vehicles. 276 spaces.
  • White membrane of roof reduces the Heat Island Effect. Heat rays are reflected instead of absorbed. The heat island effect occurs in urban areas where a high percentage of heat-absorptive surfaces, like dark roofs, parking lots and roads, retain the sun's heat, increasing the temperature of the surrounding area.

Water Reduction

• Water reduction will be achieved through more efficient appliances and fixtures including waterless urinals. It is estimated, that one waterless urinal saves 24,000 gallons of water per year. Approximately 6 million gallons of water a year will be saved with the 249 waterless urinals.
• Currently calculating 52% savings in water reductions through selection of efficient equipment

The site is less than two miles from downtown Miami, only three-quarters of a mile from the westbound SR 836 exit at 12th Avenue, and 0.4 miles from the eastbound exit at 17th Avenue. Via Interstate 95, the site is 1.25 miles from the NW 8th Street exit.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria. LEED is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.