The new Richland municipal building is both eco-friendly and technologically savvy.

The lights have motion sensors, staying on for only 8 minutes unless they sense motion in the rooms, a feature that helps save electricity.

The linoleum in the conference room is made from lentil seed, bringing new meaning to the term "green."

Even the toilets in the bathrooms are eco-friendly, equipped with low-flow technology to help save water.

If that isn't impressive enough, the trash cans in the rest rooms are hands-free. With a wave of the hand, the lid opens and trash can be deposited.

The building, located behind the Northern Tier Regional Library on Dickey Road, also features a geothermal heating and cooling system. The system employs a series of wells to help heat and cool the building using the Earth, eliminating the need for natural gas and a traditional boiler-system air conditioning like that used in the old municipal building.

"There are 32 wells drilled behind the building and they are over 400 feet deep," said township manager Dean Bastianini. "In the summer, it takes the heat out of the building and in the winter, warms it up."

The technology also allows township officials to heat one part of the building while cooling another.

Mr. Bastianini said it will take 12 to 14 years to recoup the cost of the system in terms of energy savings.

Total cost of the project was $3.8 million, coming in three-tenths of a percent above the estimated cost.

"That's a pretty good number for a project this size," said Mr. Bastianini. "And the impressive thing is it was completed on time."

The building features 12,760 square feet, with an assembly room that is designed to seat at least 60 comfortably.

The assembly room has two large-screen televisions, to be used to display documents during meetings.

"We're hoping to increase the use of the building in the evening for the community," Mr. Bastianini said. "The old building wasn't really conducive to that."

Township officials were moved into the new building by June 1, and an official grand opening was held June 11.

During the grand opening celebration, a time capsule was filled with things such as a current tax statement, a sewage bill and a community day T-shirt. The capsule will be buried behind the building and opened in 25 years.

The township also has held a series of events over the last month to celebrate the grand opening of the building. Among those events were a health awareness night and a Richland township history night. In the final event Tuesday evening, veterans from Korea, Vietnam, Bosnia, the Persian Gulf and Iraq attended a Veterans Night.

As for the old building, Mr. Bastianini said plans are to tear it down. Built in 1965, the old facility has been refurbished as much as is reasonably possible, he said.

"That building is pretty much done," he said. "It's old, it's inefficient to operate, and we've used it as much as we could."

Demolition of the old building is expected to begin this winter and extend into the spring, if necessary.

The area will then be used for passive recreation, Mr. Bastianini said.