Located in Clifton Park, NY, the 55,000 sq. ft. Clifton Park Halfmoon Library is a model of environmentally advanced architecture and was designed to capture energy savings in the millions of dollars.
The $15 million facility was built with a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and was designed and built with the environment foremost in mind, notes library officials. It is one of one of New York's first certified "Green" Public Libraries, and serves as a model of environmentally-advanced architecture not only for similar facilities throughout the state, but throughout the country too. The building's designer, Woodward Connor Gillies & Seleman of Albany, NU, is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and is LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified.
Examples of the library's environmentally friendly features are extensive, beginning with the use of regionally sourced brick and steel forged from scrap metal for its construction. The building has a massive window wall to capitalize on natural lighting and uses carpeting made from bio-based fibers (agricultural waste). Counter tops are made from recycled metal and plastic resins.
Another major contributor to the building's green design is its roof: an Englert Series 2000 standing seam metal system. It helped the project earn LEED certification by complying with LEED Credit. 7.2 for roofs that reduce the urban heat island effect. Approximately 9,000 sq. ft. of the 22-gauge Dove Grey metal roofing was fabricated and installed by Monahan & Loughlin Inc. of Hudson Falls, NY. LeChase Construction Services, Rochester, NY, was the general contractor. Bovis Lend Lease of New York, NY was the construction manager.