Planning for the RTP facility began in the 1990s. It wasn’t until 2001 that the "green" building was completed. The facility was built with the best laboratories and offices and supports the Agency’s mission. It was designed with several environmentally friendly features:

• The main building uses 40% less energy compared to standard buildings of equal size
• The surface area for roads, parking lots, and sidewalks was minimized to preserve green space, reduce stormwater runoff, and increase groundwater recharge
• The buildings were placed along the natural contours of the land, reducing the need for grading and limiting disruption to existing woodlands and wetlands
• Recycle bins and receptacles are placed in individual offices and in common areas to maximize employee recycling
• While every effort was made to minimize land clearing, many plants would have been lost if not for the rescue effort; volunteers transplanted more than 3,500 native plants to nearby locations

Building "green" reduces adverse impacts on the environment and health throughout their entire life cycle from the acquisition of materials, transportation, construction, use and eventual disuse. "Green" buildings in RTP include:

• US EPA (Main Campus)
• National Computer Center
• First Environment Early Learning Center (Child Care) Exit