Southface accepts the Conserve Georgia Award for Water Conservation from Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue.
Eco Office Wins Conserve GA Award for Water Conservation
ATLANTA, GA – September 30, 2009 – Southface is honored to receive the 2009 Conserve Georgia Natural Leaders Award for Water Conservation for its LEED Platinum-certified Eco Office — a building that uses 84% less water than comparably sized conventional buildings. The Natural Leaders Awards, which include seven conservation categories, were presented for the first time in 2009 by Governor Sonny Perdue to encourage resource conservation throughout Georgia.
The award-winning Eco Office, which was officially opened this past August, received the Water Conservation Award based on its exceptional water-saving design and operations. The 10,100 sq. ft. office, demonstration building and training center which is located in downtown Atlanta accomplishes its 84% water-use reduction primarily by using captured rainwater for all sewage conveyance and irrigation, significantly reducing its need for municipally provided potable water.
Highly efficient water closets, waterless urinals, low-flow faucets and xeriscaping also contribute to the excellent water-use performance of the Eco Office. In addition, the building incorporates an extensive green roof and pervious paving to manage and capture storm water runoff, reducing municipal water treatment loads.
"We are blessed to live in a state with bountiful natural resources. It's our responsibility to be good stewards of those resources so that Georgia can continue to prosper for generations to come," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "The culture of conservation is taking hold. Conserve Georgia award-winners have incorporated conservation into their lives and business practices and in doing so have become leaders. They should be recognized for their accomplishments."
Said Southface executive director Dennis Creech, “I am delighted to receive the Conserve Georgia Natural Leaders Award on behalf of the Southface team, our architect Lord, Aeck & Sargent, our Green Building Consortium — DPR Construction, Hardin, Holder, R. J. Griffin & Company, Skanska and Winter Construction — and the more than 200 visionary organizations and individuals who contributed products, services and capital to build the Eco Office. We are pleased to be able to demonstrate the water efficiency strategies and additional conservation capabilities of the Eco Office to all interested parties through our publicly available Eco Office tour program. We invite everyone with an interest in sustainable building to visit!”
About Conserve Georgia
The Conserve Georgia program was developed to foster a culture of conservation throughout the state of Georgia. Nine state agencies and authorities are working together with businesses, civic leaders, educational institutions, non-profit organizations and residents to make Georgia's air, land, water, energy and wildlife resources more sustainable now and for generations to come. The program's Web site - www.ConserveGeorgia.org - serves as a portal to help Georgians find information on a wide range of conservation resources and programs.
Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia
Free and open to any business, the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia was established by the Sustainability Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to foster environmental leadership and recognize superior environmental performance. The Partnership offers a variety of incentives, including cost savings through increased efficiencies, potential regulatory flexibility, free technical assistance and training, and access to networking and mentoring among peers, state and local officials. For more information, visit www.GASustainability.org.
About Southface
Southface promotes sustainable homes, workplaces and communities through education, research, advocacy and technical assistance. Driven by the region’s growing need to save energy and water, and to preserve our natural resources, Southface proactively encourages responsible solutions for environmental living. Please visit www.southface.org for more information.
