The Atlanta Regional Commission recently announced the 2019 recipients of the agency’s Developments of Excellence awards during the annual State of the Region breakfast. Each year, the awards honor developments and places that are improving quality of life for residents.
The top Development of Excellence recognition went to the Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design at Georgia Tech. This groundbreaking example of sustainability leadership was constructed to the Living Building Challenge 3.1 certification standard, the world’s most-rigorous building performance benchmark.
The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design is 47,000 square feet of educational lab and community space on the Georgia Institute of Technology campus.
This environmentally-advanced education and research building uses only water collected on-site for potable and non-potable purposes. The building will annually produce at least 105% of its own energy needs through an onsite solar system, and includes many design features to reduce consumption. Getting to the facility is sustainable too: A Georgia Tech trolley stop provides a convenient connection to the Midtown MARTA transit station. And the development features plenty of bike storage and is equipped with showers, further encouraging alternative transportation.
Public art and creative placemaking are also part of what makes this a “Development of Excellence.” The building includes a maker space to spark hands-on creativity, along with a public space lush with plant-life. An edible landscape and rooftop garden provide opportunities for local food production, and a new piece of public art will be installed next year.
In developing this building, Georgia Tech trained and employed local architects, engineers, and sub‐contractors for the construction process, advancing best practices in high-performance building.
The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design shows that high-quality sustainability is possible, setting a new standard for the region.
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