NORTH LITTLE ROCK — The state Department of Environmental Quality dedicated its new headquarters Tuesday, the first “green” state office building designed to save energy. The 117,000-square-foot, $17 million building, in North Little Rock, is expected to be completed and fully operational in May, the agency said.

ADEQ Director Marcus Devine said the building meets Leadership Energy and Environmental Design standards and has been certified by the Green Building Initiative.

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The development of environmentally friendly buildings can help stem the tide of global warming of the atmosphere, and so-called green building is becoming more accepted by both the development community and government entities as a tool to slow climate change, said Matt Petersen, chairman & CEO of Global Green. Peterson delivered the opening keynote address at the CPN Development Summit, held Tuesday at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.

While acknowledging that there are a few cynics remaining, Petersen said mainstream opinion is that “climate change is real.”

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Following a report by the Beijing Games organizers and the IOC chief inspector Hein Verbruggen, the IOC said work was still needed to improve air quality in the Chinese capital. “Yes it is a specific concern,” IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli said, citing recent complaints by athletes who competed in Beijing, and other officials.

“The important thing for us is to understand exactly what it is…and to understand what it will be at the time of the Games,” he said. Earlier Verbruggen told reporters environmental pollution was an issue that needed to be addressed.

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Plans for the Freedom Tower and other facilities at the World Trade Center site will feature state-of-the-art energy technologies to better protect environmental resources, utilize renewable energy sources, and maximize energy efficiency.

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In a country both energy-starved and cash-conscious, the new ministry of science building is a small wonder. It uses 70 percent less energy than similar federal buildings, and saves 10,000 tons of water a year through rainwater collection. Wise use of quality materials inside a simple, plain design also make it far cheaper to build and maintain than comparable Beijing buildings.

Last week, this building became the first in China to pass the stringent, internationally recognized LEED certification.

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