Kroger Field in Kentucky was rewarded for its environmental performance and sustainable design

Kroger Field, the home of the Kentucky football team has been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification for its high environmental performance and its sustainable and innovative design.

The LEED is a rating system developed by the U.S Green Building Council (USGBC) for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.

Kroger Field is the first LEED-certified competition venue in the Southeastern Conference in any sport.

Mitch Barnhart, Athletics Director said: “In both the design and construction process, we were committed to transforming the long-time home of Kentucky football in a way that would be sustainable for years to come”.

He added: “We are proud Kroger Field has joined exclusive company in becoming LEED-certified for exactly that reason and thankful for the work of our partners in the renovation”.

The renovation and expansion of the old Commonwealth Stadium was commissioned by the University of Kentucky in 2013, and was completed in 2015 after a $126 million renovation.

Responsible for its sustainability transformation were the RossTarrant Architects and associate architect HNTB.

Kevin Locke of RossTarrant Architects said: “We knew from the beginning that sustainability was critical to the success of this project”.

The stadium has implemented practical and measurable strategies and solutions aiming to achieve high performance in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

67 percent of the old infrastructure was reused to minimise construction waste and the need to manufacture and transport new materials.

Low-flow water fixtures are saving approximately 204,000 gallons of water annually.

In addition, the stadium achieves more than 30 percent energy savings in comparison to a typical stadium.

All the sustainability features result in 694 metric tons less of greenhouse gasses every year—equivalent to the annual energy consumption of 75 homes.

Kevin Locke added: “Achieving LEED Silver is a real testament to the university’s commitment to the environment. Knowing how well this stadium performs makes the experience they have created for Wildcat fans even more special”.

Mahesh Ramanujam, President and CEO of USGBC said: “Kroger Field’s LEED Silver certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership”.

“Kroger Field serves as a prime example of how the work of innovative building projects can use local solutions to make a global impact on the environment”.