The University will take another step toward innovation and sustainability this month with the opening of the campus’ second green roofed building. The 3,780-square-foot roof is located on part of the new Engineering Building III on Centennial Campus.  The green roof is made up of 10 different drought resistant plants and, according to a University press release, will save the University an estimated 25 to 50 percent on heating and cooling costs. The roof will retain more rainfall and eliminate the need for weed control, reducing the need to use chemicals for maintenance. The roof is also part of a campus-wide campaign to reduce greenhouse emissions. According to an Office of Sustainability press release, all new buildings will be built to a minimum of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standards. According to the U.S. Green Building Council’s website, a Silver certification can be awarded by obtaining 50 to 59 points out of a potential 100 base points with six additional points being awarded for innovation in design and four additional points for regional priority points. Rudy Lopez, project manager of EBIII, explained the roof will be relatively maintenance-free after the first year. ”For the first year it will need irrigation, after that it won’t need any more maintenance,” Lopez said. Grounds management crews installed 152 rolls of vegetation mat, weighing approximately 70 to 80 pounds each. According to Lopez, the annex building of EBIII, which is completely covered by the green roof, will house two wind tunnels and an anechoic chamber – which prevents any outside sound interference for research purposes. Engineering Building III is expected to open this summer and will encompass the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the NCSU/UNC Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering which are moving from Broughton Hall and Burlington Nuclear Engineering Laboratories, respectively. The James B. Hunt Library, which is under construction, is slated to open in 2012 and is next on the list to receive a green roof. The library’s roof project will be much larger than EBIII’s installation. The University’s commitment to innovation and sustainability is coming at a time when other institutions are struggling to retain their status as sustainability leaders. On July 1, 15 institutions were removed from the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment list for not following through on their reporting requirements. The list indicates institutions that pursue climate neutrality through a series of concrete, self-reported steps, according to an education of sustainability press release. The University’s first green roof is located at the Ruby C. McSwain Education Center at the J.C. Raulston Arboretum.