The high tech plastic roof on the new minnesota vikings stadium looks like something from a household kitchen a wobbly paper thin surface that could be used as a cutting board.
New vikings stadium roof material.
When the minnesota vikings host the green bay packers at the new us bank stadium in minneapolis on september 18 it will be the first regular season nfl game played under a roof made of a material.
The roof is made up of 60 ethylene tetrafluoroethylene etfe a fluorine based clear plastic and is the largest in north america spanning 240 000 square feet 22 000 m 2 supplied and installed by the firm vector foiltec.
The key is etfe a space age plastic like material used in construction for roughly 30 years.
Etfe is lighter and stronger than traditional roofing materials.
Look higher for the clues to this tongue twister all the way up to the roof of minnesota s new stadium.
It s also translucent so much so that.
About half of the new minnesota vikings stadium roof will be made of clear lightweight tetrafluoroethylene or etfe allowing for an interior filled with natural light.
Like the aquatics center in beijing built for the 2008 summer olympics the southern half of the stadium s roof will be built with a material known as etfe ethylene tetrafluoroethylene.
The 248 000 square feet of roof sits atop 10 story glass doors facing downtown minneapolis which will open and close.
The panels that make up the exterior of u s.
To use etfe film roof utilizing 3m material to create an enjoyable environment year round by permitting outdoor atmosphere without frigid.
Minnesota s etfe roof will not be lighted but the spaces around it will giving it a glow of changing colors including vikings purple.