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Forest Heights has moved closer to becoming the "greenest" municipality in the state, as the town unveiled renovations to make its municipal building energy-efficient, including a new eco-friendly green roof.

During an Aug. 18 town meeting at the building, officials announced the renovations, which also include energy-efficient windows and doors.

The renovations are part of a push by town officials to cut energy costs and reduce water pollution from the building into the nearby Oxon Run Creek.

A green roof would cover the top of the building with small, low-growing plants. Unlike traditional flat rooftops, a green roof has multiple membrane layers to absorb and drain water runoff that would otherwise pick up pollutants as the water flows toward the nearest watershed. The building, located at 5508 Arapahoe Drive, houses administrative services for the town and the police department. "It has a purpose rather than a traditional roof," said Mayor Andrea McCutcheon. "I feel great about it."

The roof, windows and renovations cost the town about $526,000, said Councilwoman Jacqueline Goodall (Ward 1), who spearheaded the project. Most of the funds came from three bond bills totaling $350,000 that the town received in 2007 and 2008 from the state. Goodall said the town has applied to receive a $100,000 Community Development Block Grant from the Prince George's County Department of Housing and Community Development that would leave the town with a bill of about $76,000 for the project.

While McCutcheon is confident the town will receive the grant, she said the Town Council will either halt the remaining renovations or reallocate funds to cover cost if the grant is not received.

Goodall said the upgrades are expected to save the town as much as $6,000 annually in energy costs. The town already plans to install solar panels on one of its buildings by spring 2011 with a $96,000 grant it received from the county Department of Environmental Resources during the spring, Goodall said. "We have leveraged bond funds," Goodall said. "We will be able to totally offset energy use from the building."

While the Maryland Department of Energy said there is no way to be certain that the town is the ‘greenest' in the state, Devon Dods, a department spokesman, said that the town is following a trend throughout the state where municipalities are installing more energy efficient materials on buildings. Dods said municipalities are under a state mandate to cut energy consumption 15 percent by 2015.

The town has been mulling going green since 2008 when then-Mayor Larry Stoner and the Town Council identified the roof as in dire need of a replacement. The roof and building had not been upgraded since it was built in the 1950s and council members feared it would cave in. Stoner sparred with council members, who were in favor of a green roof, and Stoner said the upfront costs were too expensive. A traditional roof would have cost the town about $100,000 compared to the $150,000 for the green roof and window replacement.

Still, some town residents said they are in awe at the changes made to the administration building.

"I think the town did an excellent job [with the administration building]. It was a long time coming," said David Houston, a 25-year resident of the town. The building "needed a lot of work."