We are proud to report that the new academic building will be the first "green" academic laboratory building in New York City, built to Gold LEED standards. The entire edifice is designed for sustainability, energy efficiency and air quality. Here are some highlights:

• State-of-the-art radiant heating and cooling technology—the first used in the U.S.—will conserve energy and increase efficiency.
• An outer layer of semi-transparent mesh screen will create coolness in the summer and warmth in the winter by controlling daylight, energy use and natural ventilation.
• Carbon dioxide detectors throughout the building will automatically dim power and ventilation when rooms are unoccupied—saving on energy and costs.
• A co-generation system will produce some power for both the new building and the Foundation building, reducing the need to tap into the outside electrical grid.
• The deck surface of the green roof will be covered by a layer of low-maintenance plantings, which help to reduce city "heat island" effects, stormwater runoff, noise, summer air conditioning cost and winter heat demand.
• Together with the low-flow plumbing devices, the green roof will save more than 600,000 gallons of water annually.

These and other green features will contribute to the building's value as a "learning laboratory" as students focus on the world's growing demands for sustainable development, energy reduction and conservation of natural resources.