Important business features such as over 40,000 square feet of meeting space and underground parking, hip tech gadgetry like "smart lecterns" and walls of hi-def LCDs to make the geeks swoon, and proximity to the university and the state Capitol make this new face on the south end of campus a sure bet, but that's not where they had us. They had us at green. More specifically, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver-certified green. Local limestone, 20% fly ash remnant concrete, and an extensive recycling program during construction was just the beginning. The gorgeous Lake/Flato and HKS Inc. design, so conscious of the University of Texas master plan, features native plants, reclaimed live oaks, and energy-saving standards used throughout. Recycling programs, motion-sensing climate control, and organic, local foods lifts it beyond sure bet to noble effort.
