Denton residents, city leaders and other dignitaries gathered Monday in a spacious engine bay, gazing at what officials called the “firehouse of the future.”

“This is our model now,” Fire Chief Ross Chadwick said of the city’s newest fire station, during a grand opening ceremony. “It takes a real courageous and visionary [city] council to build a building like this.”

DRC/Barron Ludlum

Local officials were part of the crowd that gathered for the grand opening of Fire Station No. 7 at 4201 Vintage Drive in Denton. The facility was recently awarded the gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating from the United States Green Building Council. The $3.4 million station was built using recycled construction materials.

Situated on 88 acres just east of Interstate 35W in south Denton, Fire Station No. 7 is the city government’s first “green” building.

It earned that certification earlier this year through the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council.

“You’re not only saving lives, you’re saving energy,” U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Flower Mound, said during the ceremony. The station “is already award-winning, and I know it will be a continued blessing in our community.”

The $3.4 million station was built using recycled construction materials and features natural lighting, a 22,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system and a geothermal well system for heating and cooling.

Builders also designed it as a healthier environment for firefighters, using paints, adhesives and sealants with reduced chemical emissions.

Building green added roughly $225,000 to the fire station’s construction cost, but city leaders expect to see long-term savings through reduced energy expenses.

The building council launched the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system in 2000 to provide standards on what constitutes green building. Builders earn points by meeting certain standards for design, materials, indoor air quality and water and energy use.

The fire station earned enough points for a gold rating, the second highest of four levels.

The 15,000-square-foot facility opened in April, serving residents of southwest Denton. The area is home to the Robson Ranch retirement community and several planned housing developments.

Area residents toured the facility Monday, meandering through hallways and peeking their heads inside doors. The station features lodging for up to 12 firefighters, offices, a training/community room and a police substation.

LOWELL BROWN can be reached at 940-566-6882. His e-mail address is lmbrown@dentonrc.com .