'Green' FBI Building Opens in Houston

HOUSTON - The director of the FBI will be in northwest Houston on Wednesday to help dedicate the expanded, environmentally-friendly facility that will contain every Houston-area FBI task force.

FBI Director Robert Mueller will be in Texas visiting the agency's field offices in Houston and San Antonio.

The new building is encased in green-colored glass that provides shade from the sun and decreases the internal structure temperature between 8 and 12 degrees. The building was constructed long and narrow so that sunlight reaches the narrow section of the building.

Air conditioning has been placed into the floor of the building so that the air does not compete with rising hot air.

Sensor-based lighting has been employed in the building so that it is not in use when a room is not occupied.

Mueller is expected to meet with FBI agents Wednesday. He will also make his first trip in three years to San Antonio later on Wednesday.

FBI spokesman Erik Vasys says the trips are part of Mueller's efforts to regularly visit agency's field offices across the country.