Chapter and verse on how the best was done.

Government officials, environmental experts, architects, engineers and building developers joined members of the Battery Park City Authority at the American Institute for Architects' New York Chapter for the release of their book and video chronicling the construction of The Solaire--the nation's first "green" residential high-rise to be developed using Battery Park City Authority's Green Residential Guidelines.

"I congratulate the Battery Park City Authority and the Albanese Organization for their efforts to create a journal of the do's and don'ts surrounding the construction of a sustainable high rise residential building," said Governor George E. Pataki. "They were the pioneers in this quickly developing field. Their willingness to share their experiences with The Solaire will ensure that sustainable construction continues throughout our nation."

"We are very pleased to release this book and video," said James F. Gill, Chairman of the Authority. "Following Governor Pataki's vision to create harmony between the built and natural environments, we embarked on a mission to build the nation's first 'green' residential high-rise. Now that it's complete and there are three others in the ground, we want to share our experiences with the world."

"It made absolute sense to do the book," said Timothy S. Carey, President & CEO of the Battery Park City Authority. "Soon after creating the Residential Environmental Guidelines, members of the environmental and construction industries began to seek our guidance. We created the book and video to celebrate our successes, to reveal our mistakes and to assist others who may want to get involved in sustainable construction."

Russell Albanese, President of Albanese Organization, Inc.; Peter Smith, President of New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA); Robert Fox of Cook + Fox; and Rick Fedrizzi, President & CEO of the United States Green Building Council were on hand to discuss their experiences relating to the construction of The Solaire as well as their contribution to the book.

Said Russell Albanese, "There is only one 'first,' and the opportunity provided by the Battery Park City Authority to create the Solaire in a true public/private partnership was a 'first' of the highest magnitude in sustainable development. The lessons we learned throughout the project have become a benchmark for green building in New York and elsewhere. We are delighted that the Authority worked with us to record the process."

Said Rick Bell, Executive Director of AIA, "The AIA's Center for Architecture was happy to host the event. The book and video provide a unique look at how a public/private partnership can positively impact an industry and the sense of environmental possibility. Once you have seen the film or read the book, you will never look at development the same way again."

The book and video are free. The Battery Park City Authority has purchased airtime on local television stations to show the video. Both the book and video are available at www.solaire.com or www.battery parkcity.org