This week's ceremonial groundbreaking for the Clifton Park Halfmoon Public Library marks the beginning of construction for a building which will also be breaking new ground as the First Certified "Green" Library in New York State.
A Green Building is constructed in ways which reduce its impact upon the environment through careful site planning, energy efficient technologies and materials, water conservation strategies and the creation of healthy indoor environments. By building the new Library using Green principles, the Library District will realize economic, environmental, health and community resource benefits, which include:
In order to assure realization of these benefits, the Library has chosen to pursue Certification through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, an independent national standard developed by the United States Green Building Council. The Certification process ensures that sustainable principles are integrated into all aspects of the new facility, and provides defined methods for measuring achievement. The Certification Process is being coordinated by the Library's Architects, Woodward Connor Gillies & Seleman . Woodward Connor Gillies & Seleman Architects is a LEED Accredited firm responsible for the design of New York's First Certified Green Building, the Department of Environmental Conservation Headquarters in Albany.
More information about the LEED rating system and what goes into making a Green Building is available at www.usgbc.org .
