The NFL’s Minnesota Vikings franchise is aware what a heavy accumulation of snow can do. Late in the 2010 season, the Twin Cities were hit by a blizzard, and 17 inches of snow came to rest on the Metrodome’s air-supported Teflon and fiberglass roof. All the weight and moisture caused the roof to puncture and collapse. The stadium was repaired the next summer for $22.7 million.
For the team’s new stadium, which was designed by HKS Architects and is set to open next fall, the team is ensuring that the roof will hold up to rough northern conditions. U.S. Bank Stadium will have an ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) pneumatic roof, a durable, flexible material made of a polymer similar to Teflon, as the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. ETFE is 1/100th the weight of glass and can stretch three times its length without losing elasticity.
The ETFE pillows are still supported by air, but they are also backed by a steel structure and won’t sink due to a loss of air pressure. The panels can be punctured by sharp objects but are easy to patch, and the nonstick surface and steep angle will help prevent snow from piling high.
ETFE also is lightweight and translucent, allowing natural light to enter for a sense of openness. Domed stadiums of the past, like the Metrodome, were known for being dark and cavernous.
Roughly 248,000 sf of the roof will be composed of ETFE; the remaining portion will be a steeply-pitched hard roof, but sunlight will still angle over the entire field. According to the Vikings’ website, ETFE will not degrade when exposed to UV light. Altogether, U.S. Bank Stadium will cost just more than $1 billion to build.
ETFE has previously been installed at venues like the Beijing National Stadium in China, the Eden Project in Cornwall, U.K., and Allianz Arena in Munich.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Best AEC Firms of 2011/12
Later this year, we will launch Best AEC Firms 2012. We’re looking for firms that create truly positive workplaces for their AEC professionals and support staff. Keep an eye on this page for entry information. +
| Aug 11, 2010
Clark Group, Mortenson among nation's busiest state/local government contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 40 State/Local Government Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit /giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Portland Cement Association offers blast resistant design guide for reinforced concrete structures
Developed for designers and engineers, "Blast Resistant Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Structures" provides a practical treatment of the design of cast-in-place reinforced concrete structures to resist the effects of blast loads. It explains the principles of blast-resistant design, and how to determine the kind and degree of resistance a structure needs as well as how to specify the required materials and details.
| Aug 11, 2010
Gensler, HOK, HDR among the nation's leading reconstruction design firms, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 100 Reconstruction Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Gensler among eight teams named finalists in 'classroom of the future' design competition
Eight teams were recognized today as finalists of the 2009 Open Architecture Challenge: Classroom. Finalists submitted designs ranging from an outdoor classroom for children in inner-city Chicago, learning spaces for the children of salt pan workers in India, safe spaces for youth in Bogota, Colombia and a bamboo classroom in the Himalayan mountains.
| Aug 11, 2010
ASHRAE introduces building energy label prototype
Most of us know the fuel efficiency of our cars, but what about our buildings? ASHRAE is working to change that, moving one step closer today to introducing its building energy labeling program with release of a prototype label at its 2009 Annual Conference in Louisville, Ky.
| Aug 11, 2010
10 tips for mitigating influenza in buildings
Adopting simple, common-sense measures and proper maintenance protocols can help mitigate the spread of influenza in buildings. In addition, there are system upgrades that can be performed to further mitigate risks. Trane Commercial Systems offers 10 tips to consider during the cold and flu season.
| Aug 11, 2010
Jacobs, HOK top BD+C's ranking of the 75 largest state/local government design firms
A ranking of the Top 75 State/Local Government Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Gilbane, Whiting-Turner among nation's largest university contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 50 University Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit /giants
