First tenants move into New York's "green building".

The country's first environmentally engineered residential tower is now home to 30 New York City families, who moved into the "green" building over the July 4th weekend.

They are the firstwave of residents to occupy The Solaire, which was designed to meet stringent requirements for environmental sustainability and resource conservation and management throughout the building infrastructure and within each individual apartment.

The building is the first new residential construction downtown since 9/11.

Rising interest in healthy living and the "green" building has propelled interest in The Solaire, with 60% of its 293 apartments rented in just 10 weeks. The majority of the building's lower 18 floors, including studio, one, two and three-bedroom residences, is already committed.

Pre-leasing for the tower floors 19 through 27 has also begun, with occupancy projected for October.

"The ability to live in a building that promotes good health at every level of design, construction and maintenance is already proving to be a powerful attraction for New Yorkers," said Christopher Albanese, executive vice president of the Albanese Organization, which developed The Solaire.

"The coupling of an environmentally astute structure with a full complement of residential amenities is an ideal package."

Located at 20 River Terrace in Battery Park City, The Solaire has been environmentally engineered to consume 35% less energy, reduce peak demand for electricity by 65%, require 50% less potable water, provide its residents with healthier indoor air quality and offer substantially more natural light than typical residential buildings. Among the most innovative environmental features of the new landmark building are:

* Photovoltaic cells integrated within the exterior walls capable of generating five percent of the building's base electric load.

* Filtered fresh air supply and programmable thermostats in each residence.

* An air conditioning system fueled by natural gas and free of ozone depleting refrigerants.

* On-site black water system to supply the HVAC cooling tower and eliminate the use of potable water for the building's flush system.

* Storm water catchment system to irrigate the rooftop garden.

* A complete building management and monitoring system to control and monitor air quality and energy performance.

* The use of building materials free of formaldehyde and containing low or no VOC's and high recycled content, or manufactured with renewable or rapidly renewable resources.

The building's dedication to energy efficiency, air quality, water conservation and the preservation of natural resources has earned The Solaire broad acclaim as a model for urban sustainable development.

The project recently earned the Albanese Organization an Environmental Business Leadership Award from Earth Day New York and the Natural Resources Defense Council, during the national Earth Day celebrations in May.

Last fall, it was the launch site for an international initiative on sustainable building guidelines by former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, now President of Green Cross International, and the Battery Park City Authority.

The Solaire was also showcased by the U.S. Department of Energy at the Sustainable Building 2002 Conference in Oslo, Norway, as a global model for "green" multifamily design and construction.

"We anticipate that green building in urban settings will begin to accelerate as citizens and governments seek new solutions to promote healthier living," said Russell C. Albanese, President of the Albanese Organization. "The Solaire is destined to become just the first of what will hopefully one day become a standard in new residential development."