Officials are calling the new Visitor and Administration Center at the Queens Botanical Garden the greenest building in the city.

The 15,831-square-foot building is designed to maximize natural light and ventilation. It's got three interconnected spaces, according to Sewell Chan in The New York Times: "a paved forecourt sheltered by a 27-foot-tall zinc-shingled roof canopy; a recessed central building, with a glass façade of wood cladding and brise-soleil, a sun-shading technique; and an auditorium topped by a sloping green roof that merges with the landscape."

This building is on the way to getting a LEED platinum rating, the highest possible for energy efficiency, use of environmentally benign materials, and other factors.

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