No. 44 Holland Ave. in Albany, which houses the state Offices of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, will soon become the first building run by the state to employ a green roof. The $1.1 million, 32,000-square-foot project is scheduled to be complete in August.   

Green roofs provide environmental and economic benefits to a buildingGreen roofs use vegetation to insulate a building and control storm water runoff, while helping to absorb carbon dioxide. A spokeswoman for the Office of General Services, which runs state buildings, said the roof will have a root barrier and drainage mat underneath the plant and soil layer. She also said the roof will absorb outside noise and cut down on the urban heat island effect, which is caused by the absorption of heat from standard building materials.

Although green roofs have higher upfront costs than standard ones, they last about 30 years, which is 10 to 20 years longer and cut down on the buildings energy costs.

Because the state has a spending freeze on construction projects, the company performing the work, Massachusetts-based Titan Roofing, agreed to a promise of eventual payment.

For full coverage of this story, check out the Albany Times Union.