HOK estimates it takes 600 hours for architectural documentation and administration when it submits an office building design for LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. For the D.C. Major League Ballpark treated as an office building because there is no LEED for sports facilities the estimate is 1,000 hours and that only accounts for HOK’s time.

The extra hours are attributed to “unique documentation requirements specific to the project type and complexity,” says Susan Klumpp, ballpark project manager for the local joint venture of HOK/Devrouax & Purnell Architects. Klumpp, also a LEED-certified design professional, led the LEED process, spending lots of time working on it in off hours, she says. “It was a challenge, but a good challenge,” she says.

Related Links: Baseball Park in Nation’s Capital Is on Its Way to Breek the Speed Green Rating Almost a Labor of Love Capital Ballpark Benefits from Earlier Experience

The ballpark is the first major league facility to seek a green-building rating. Seven other sports facilities also are in process, says USGBC. Using the ballpark as a model, HOK Sport Venue Entertainment, Kansas City, expects to whittle down process time for its other green sports projects. The architect is pursuing certification for four others, including a ballpark for the Minnesota Twins.

At D.C. ballpark, there will be an estimated 5,500 tons total of recycled construction waste. There are low-flow water fixtures, estimated to save 3.6 million gallons of water per year. There are oversized loading docks to accommodate recyclable glass, metal and more. Highefficiency field lighting is expected to save 21% in energy costs over a conventional system. For groundwater and stormwater management, there is an enhanced sand filter to screen organic debris, including peanut shells and hot dogs, and redirect the bowl wash-down to the sanitary system.

LEED certification is expected to be official in May, soon after the ballpark opens. The effort “has been a labor of love,” says Klumpp.