Dear Reader

It’s with excitement and anticipation that I’m writing to report the beginning of a new chapter in the Southface story: construction has begun on the new Eco Office facility. Lord, Aeck & Sargent is proud of our role in leading the design effort for this unique, high-performance building, and I am personally grateful for the opportunity to be involved in such a great learning experience. Beyond simply providing much needed office space to support Southface’s growing staff and programs, this world-class green building will showcase the readily-achievable benefits building owners and occupants can enjoy through harnessing the integrated design approach and “off-the-shelf” products to create an optimized, resource-efficient facility. The Eco Office, an exceptional example of sustainable design, will serve as a resource for the entire region, providing meeting and training spaces for the Metro Atlanta design, construction and development communities. It will provide a real-life example of how we can continue to grow as a region without compromising our quality of life.

The Eco Office will literally harvest energy from the sun, filter its storm water, collect rain water for building use and treat its own sewage, using only a fraction of the resources of a conventional facility. The building was sited and the windows oriented to make use of readily available daylight to minimize artificial lighting requirements. Photovoltaic panels rescued from the landfill will generate electricity from the sun while providing shade for an observation deck that overlooks an extensive green roof and innovative mechanical system. A combination of dual-flush toilets and foam flush toilets, supplied by harvested rainwater rather than drinking water, will reduce water consumption dramatically. Countless regional, high-recycled content and renewable building materials will be displayed throughout the facility.

True to its mission to promote sustainable homes, workplaces and communities, Southface’s approach to creating the Eco Office is uniquely collaborative in nature. Countless individuals from the fields of design, contracting, manufacturing and building science have come together as a team to make the Eco Office dream a reality. In this issue of the Southface Journal, you can learn about the generous contributions of the manufacturing community, which has come together to provide over $2 million in green building technologies and products that will be showcased in the new facility. Another article outlines the new energy efficiency requirements for air conditioners and heat pumps, and what they’ll mean to you and the environment. You can also learn about efforts to grow the EarthCraft House program across the Southeast.

The Eco Office public capital campaign is underway, and there are many opportunities to participate. Please see page 16 to learn how you can become a part of Southface’s success by making a pledge to its future.

Sincerely,