By Debbie Denmon/ WFAA-TV

You may know Denton for its University of North Texas football team, sometimes referred to as “Mean Green.” But, there is something else going green.

"We are going to be the first green fire station to open in North Texas,” said Denton Fire Capt. Brad Lahart. Fire Station No. 7 is lucky enough to become Denton’s first green building from the ground-up. “This is a big deal, because it’s not only going to be 30 percent more energy efficient, it is also going to use 35 percent less water for our building."

The 15,000-square-foot facility will include $3.4 million-worth of recycled construction materials, natural lighting, and four 5,500-gallon cisterns to store rainwater.

"It will take about two inches of rainwater off the roof and then it goes into an underground system and then feeds into these big cisterns," said Lahart. "Rain water is collected in there and this irrigation system will water the landscape so that we can conserve the station’s water."

A geo thermal well system uses the earth’s natural temperature to heat and cool the building, but building green is not cheap. It will cost the city $200,000 extra in construction costs up front. City officials say this will save them $1 million in the years to come. The city’s newest pride and joy is scheduled to open later this month at the corner of Vintage Boulevard and Bonnie Brae Street, just east of Interstate 35W.

"Denton City Council has been proactive without a doubt in the importance of environmental issues and you have to take pride in them stepping up to the plate,” said architect James Kirkpatrick. “The first time through has been a learning curve but in the long term it is probably worth the investment in time and money."

Fire station No. 7 is in the process of being certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, rating system. It will also be the first project in Denton to recycle 30 tons of construction waste.