THE SOUTHFACE CAMPUS

Located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, the Southface campus has grown in recent years to include three buildings, two of which are set amid grounds that have been planted with native and drought-tolerant species, and include mature trees plus a food-producing urban garden. The third building, the Southface SWEET Center, is an older, street-facing building currently under renovation by Southface for future use as a training and office facility.

The Southface Eco Office

The Eco Office is a three-story structure with a rooftop green roof. At 10,100 square feet, it is about the same size as 74 percent of commercial buildings in the U.S., making it an ideal model for sustainable, healthy buildings everywhere. Officially opened in August 2009, the Eco Office was constructed from widely available off-the-shelf products, materials and technologies. As an energy-, water-, and resource-conserving building, it is more energy efficient than 90 percent of comparable existing buildings tracked by ENERGY STAR®, and uses 84 percent less water than comparable code-built facilities.

The Southface Resource Center

The Resource Center was completed in 1996 to coincide with the Atlanta Olympics. As a showcase for over 100 innovative products and technologies, it addresses four aspects of environmentally responsible construction: energy efficiency, indoor air quality (IAQ), resource efficiency and  accessible design. A 6,400-square-foot residential-style green building, the Resource Center was one of the region's first ENERGY STAR qualified buildings. It conserves energy, water and natural resources, reduces waste through recycling and the use of recycled materials, and maintains a healthful indoor environment. It also presents several smart ideas for designing homes to suit people with physical disabilities; it is used today by the Southface staff as an office space and training center.

The Southface SWEET Center

The Southeast Weatherization and Energy Efficiency Training (SWEET) Center is a former diaper laundry that Southface is currently renovating to house its growing weatherization and green building training programs. An official opening is planned for this facility in late 2010. Stay tuned!