Chicago’s Soldier Field Achieves LEED Gold Certification For Existing Buildings Operations And Maintenance

The oldest stadium in the National Football League has added a major milestone to its historic legacy. Soldier Field, home to the Chicago Bears and one of the city’s beloved landmarks, earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) v4.1 Operations and Maintenance: Existing Buildings Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Soldier Field, which was originally built in 1924, was the first existing North American stadium to earn LEED certification, a prestigious, coveted recognition in venue operations and development that recognizes buildings meeting the global program’s environmental and sustainability standards.

The home of the Bears is owned by the Chicago Park District and managed by Legends Global. It is one of just nine stadiums to earn LEED certification, joining U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on the list. The latter two venues are also part of Legends Global’s portfolio.

Soldier Field has made an effort to meet stringent sustainable practices, which include energy, water and waste efficiency, as well as the quality of the human experience. The achieved LEED certification with successful initiatives such as recycling programs, implementation of LED lighting, installation of toilet flushometers to conserve water, food composting and more.

“As a result of these ongoing enhancements, Soldier Field is poised to lower operating costs and increase asset value, reduce waste sent to landfills, conserve energy and water, be healthier and safer for occupants, and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions,” said Tim LeFevour, general manager of Soldier Field for Legends Global. “We recognize that sustainability is a high priority for many of our customers and are constantly evaluating and implementing new best practices. Together with the Chicago Park District, we are committed to being one of the leading sustainable venues in the country, and our participation in this rigorous LEED process demonstrates our long-standing commitment to this goal.”

Such certifications are also priorities for some of the biggest acts in the live music industry. Soldier Field is one of the most utilized stadiums in Chicago, hosting over 200 public and private events annually. The venue most recently hosted System Of A Down for two nights, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. The sold-out shows were a massive success, hauling in a total of $16,199,021 of 97,855 tickets sold, according to Pollstar Boxoffice.

“The Chicago Park District is extremely proud of Soldier Field’s LEED Gold Certification, a designation that reflects our commitment to exercising best sustainability practices,” Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa said in a statement. “As Chicago’s leading greening steward, we have the great privilege and responsibility to preserve and protect our natural environment through waste reduction, water conservation and energy management. We commend our partners, Legends Global, the managers of Soldier Field, for implementing these and other practices across stadium operations and earning this important recognition.”