March 31, 2008 - The Washington Nationals' new ballpark has earned LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), making it the first major stadium in the United States to achieve LEED certification.

Green features include:

• Using high-efficiency field lighting, which uses 20% less energy than traditional field lighting
• Installing low-flow plumbing fixtures, which are expected to reduce overall water consumption by 30% for an annual savings of 3.6 million gallons
• Using air-cooled chillers instead of water-cooled chillers, saving an additional 6 million gallons of water each year
• Planting a 6,300 square foot green roof above a concession/toilet area beyond left field to collect rainwater and help cool the roof on hot days.

The new ballpark was designed by architectural firm HOK, which is currently working on a LEED-eligible arena for basketball's Orlando Magic. The firm is also working with the USGBC to create a LEED certification system specific to sports facilities.

Baseball has been striving to green its image this season. MLB recently partnered with the Natural Resources Defense Council on a league-wide Team Greening environmental initiative, and its main concessioner, Aramark, has also implemented a new program to green food-service operations.