Chris Jones assembles one of the permeable cubes that comprises the inner workings of the cistern.

Southface Ready for Rain with Cistern Installation Water savings and rain water reuse are two goals of Southface's Eco Office. To acheive these goals, Southface installed an in-ground cistern last month. The new 2040 cubic foot cistern will store over 14,500 gallons of rain water for flushing toilets and mechanical heat exchangers in the Eco Office. The cistern, manufactured by Atlantis Water Management Systems, an Australian firm, and donated by ACF Environmental, was installed by the RainHarvest Company during the second week in February. Even though morning temperatures were in the low twenties and the thermometer never rose above 42 degrees, the installation crew pressed on completing the first phase of implementation without incident. The RainTank, manufactured from 100 percent post consumer plastic, is composed of individual panels which snap together to create permeable cubes forming the skeleton of the underground cistern. The 160 tri-units, 13 cubic feet each, were assembled and placed into the excavation with a terrific amount of effort and help from many Southface interns. The cistern is wrapped with a 30 mil EPDM membrane to contain the rain water. A physical root barrier donated by Deep Root, protects the cistern membrane from thirsty tree roots without the use of herbicides. This product has a high post-consumer recycled content, as well. Piping for the site cistern has been generously donated by Ewing Irrigation. In addition to reducing potable water needs for the building, harvested rain water will supply drip irrigation to establish the site’s drought-resistant landscaping. Controls donated by Weathermatic include the Smartline system with an SLW Series On-Site Weather Station, which will calculate real time evapotranspiration, and can be zoned to respond to different plant types, soil types, shading and wind conditions. Combined with Ewing’s donation of a baseline moisture sensor, irrigation controls will be as much as 50% more efficient than other timer- and satellite-dependent controllers.

The assembly of all the cubes into a unit on site with the membrane wrapping.

Rain water from the entire roof of the Eco Office and from part of the original office building will flow into the cistern via 6" PVC drain lines. Storm water runoff from the northern and eastern portions of the site will also be collected within a system of swales and percolate in through the top of the tank. A layer of filter fabric below a healthy and dense turf will naturally prevent any sediment from entering the top of the tank. This will prevent the majority of the storm water from exiting the site. Normally, this storm water would have entered the storm sewers, burdening the municipal waste system.

Southface has established a new standard for the Atlanta community by reclaiming storm water. The purchase and use of potable water on campus will decrease by approximately 80 percent! This is a tangible savings which should return the investment within the next seven years. The intangible benefits are manifold. The Atlanta sewer system, already over-burdened, will no longer have to handle storm water from the building and site. Though small and insignificant in the scope of all development in the metro area, we hope this small step will lead to greater strides at larger developments in the very near future.

Article submitted by: Paul Morgan, RainHarvest Company Frank Burdette, Eco Office Project Manager

Dennis Creech– An Influential Georgian

Georgia Trend Magazine names Southface Executive Director Dennis Creech to 2007 list of 100 Most Influential Georgians

In its eighth year, Georiga Trend Magazine’s 2007 List of 100 Most Influential Georgians is comprised of “the state’s most powerful citizens - the 100 Most Influential Georgians, a roster of individuals who wield influence in business, government, politics, public policy, education, the judiciary and other areas that impact every aspect of every Georgian’s daily life.” Read about Dennis and the 99 other 2007 influence makers from around the state at www.georgiatrend.com.

EcoManor Ribbon Cutting LEED for Homes pilot opens doors

As a couple dedicated to helping the environment, it made sense that Laura and Rutherford Seydel’s dream home would strive to achieve the leading green building certifications in the SE including the U.S. Green Building Council’s newest pilot program, LEED for Homes; the Greater Atlanta HBA and Southface’s EarthCraft House program and the National Wildlife Federation’s Backyard Wildlife Habitat.

On Friday, February 2, 2007 the Seydel Family was able to celebrate an exciting ceremony almost two years coming. Their dream home became a reality with the help of a talented team including the eco-interior designer Jillian Cooke, architect Bill Harrison, Green Builder Jerome Rossetti, eco-landscape architect Ed Castro and Interior Media’s David Hardy.

The EcoManor currently holds a Silver Certificate under LEED for Homes, but is still in the documentation process and pushing to pursue Gold standing. Southface staff, Laura Uhde, program manager for the LEED for Homes Providership covering GA, SC, AL and VA along with Becky Rowe are providing the LEED for Homes Pilot administration.

For more information on the EcoManor please visit the following sites: www.ecomanor.com, www.usgbc.org and www.earthcrafthouse.com

EarthCraft Communities for Kanawha Project Located south of Charlotte in Fort Mill, SC, Kanawha will be a 400-acre, mixed-use sustainable community that will allow people to combine responsible stewardship of the land with healthier indoor air and lower energy bills. Welcoming residents and visitors to Kanawha is the village core, planned to feature a recreational center, meeting space, retail, childcare facilities and an open-air farmer’s market. A 900-student elementary school will be situated at the center of the site, making it accessible by foot to all residents.

The last phase of construction at Kanawha includes a vibrant commercial district with shops, offices and a community courtyard. Adjacent to Kanawha along the Catawba River will be York County’s Stans Museum of Life and the Environment – a museum of human cultural history and natural history that will chronicle the interactions of people and place over time. The Kanawha community and Museum are the result of a partnership between the Museum’s Sustainable Development Group and Cherokee Investment Partners, a Raleigh-based private equity firm that specializes in the sustainable redevelopment of brownfields. For more information on EarthCraft Communities visit www.earthcrafthouse.com.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition is EarthCraft In January 2007 EarthCraft House builders Tony Perry and Patty Bachtel of Oakwood Homes were selected by ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to rebuild a home for a deserving family in Waleska, GA. Faith Tipton-Smith, her son and two daughters lost their home to a fire in 2005.

Together they picked out a house plan, which was to be their family’s dream home. Three months after the fire, Faith’s son and eldest daughter were in a tragic car accident; her son Ransom died. Due to massive hospital bills, construction of the home stopped and the project was dormant for over 9 months. Weather and neglect combined to create a hazardous mold problem that seemed beyond repair. Applying the high standards of EarthCraft House added to the drama for everyone involved in this challenging project, utilizing some of the most advanced building science technology available. EarthCraft House is the first green residential building program to be fully implemented and certified during the construction process of this popular, nationally televised program. The energy savings of this high-performance home are estimated to be 50 percent lower than comparable homes in the area. Sunday, March 11 is slated to be the broadcast date for the story of the family’s plight and the design team’s creative solutions. A “Behind the Scenes” video being developed by Southface will provide in-depth coverage of the products and procedures along with extensive interviews from the builder’s perspective. Visit www.extremeoakwood.com for additional photos and information.

Southface announces 9th Annual Visionary dinner

National leader in alternative energy to address Business and Environmental leaders

The annual Visionary Dinner Hosted by Southface and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce will take place on March 21 at the Georgia Freight Depot. This year’s keynote speaker will be Quayle Hodek, CEO of Renewable Choice Energy, a national leader in the development and marketing of alternative fuels, who will deliver an address entitled “The Renewable Energy Future, Market-Driven Solutions.”

The Visionary Dinner is a celebration of Southface’s mission of sustainability, energy and resource conservation and green building. The healthy quality of life theme is accented by the Visionary Dinner’s organic meal prepared by the Whole Foods Market Chefs Panel and paired with sustainably produced wines from Fetzer and Bonterra Vineyards. Nurturing and promoting locally grown and sustainably farmed produce and local artisanal all-natural foods is a passion that Whole Foods Market and its Chefs Panel share with the owners and vintners at Fetzer and Bonterra.

In its ninth year, the Visionary Dinner will include a five-course meal prepared by the Whole Foods Market Chefs Panel with wine pairings. For more information visit www.southface.org/visionarydinner.

Southface Hellos & Goodbyes

Southface welcomes:

• Dennis Bauer as an EarthCraft Multifamily Associate
• Glenn Pease as an Energy Analyst and HERS Rater

Southface welcomes our newest interns:

• Jason Acosta
• Shannon Gray
• Susie Trinh

Southface offers best wishes to departing staff and interns:

• Jeff Huntley
• Howard Katzman
• Gavin Gregory
• KC McGurren