The Georgia World Congress Center on Tuesday said it is now the largest LEED-certified convention center in the world.

The 3.9 million-square-foot building achieved silver certification through sustainability efforts such as recycling electronics, reducing water consumption, using green janitorial supplies and more environmentally friendly office supplies.

LEED — or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — rates the green or sustainable design, construction or operations in buildings and homes.

The GWCC has been working toward its certification since 2005. In 2010, the convention center — the fourth largest in the nation — hired a dedicated sustainability director and in 2012 registered for the preliminary steps of certification with the U.S. Green Building Council.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Wait times at TSA security checkpoints at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport hovered around 10 minutes or less Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, which was projected to be the busiest security day of the year. (Maya T. Prabhu/AJC)

Credit: Maya Prabhu

Featured

Inventor Lonnie Johnson stands with his Super Soaker water guns at JTEC Energy on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. Johnson, a former NASA engineer, is currently working on a new energy technology through his company’s JTEC device that turns thermal heat into usable energy. (Natrice Miller/AJC)