City of Atlanta Recognizes Better Buildings Challenge Top Performers
December 4,2014
The Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and partner organizations announced the top performers of 2014 at its Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge annual recognition event held Tuesday at the Center for Civil and Human Rights. In addition to the year’s top performers, six participants received outstanding achievement awards for milestones and work related to the Challenge.
“As we enter the fourth year of the Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge, I am proud of the collective contributions that our participants have made to Atlanta’s economy and environmental footprint,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. The Atlanta BBC top performers have surpassed program expectations and continue to do so in a winning fashion. With this continued progress, I have no doubt that Atlanta’s portfolio of buildings will exceed the 2020 goals for both energy and water.”
Those recognized at the event represent participants whose remarkable efforts produced the highest levels of energy and water savings in 2014. Performance is based on complete utility data entered in ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager® through June 30, 2014. The outstanding achievement award recipients and top performers are as follows:
Outstanding Achievement Awards
• Water Savings Award: The Georgia Trust – Rhodes Hall
• Energy Star Award: St. Luke's Episcopal Church
• Outstanding Energy Project: Fox Theatre
• Outstanding Water Project: Bank of America Plaza
• Tenant Engagement Award: Hines Property Management
• Individual Impact Award: Mark Gallman, Highwoods
Top Performers - Energy
• Hartsfield-Jackson Airport South Terminal Parking Deck*
• Hartsfield-Jackson Airport North Terminal Parking Deck*
• Hemphill Water Treatment Plant & Pumping Station*
• Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center*
• Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta*
• Epsten Group: The Edge*
• One Atlantic Center*
• The Turner Building*
• Technology Square Research Building*
• St. Luke’s Episcopal Church*
• 1180 Peachtree*
• 55 Allen Plaza*
• Atlanta History Center – Parking Deck
• Margaret Mitchell House - Commercial Row
• T3 Labs
• Emory University Hospital Midtown- Summit Parking Deck
• The Georgia Trust - Rhodes Hall
• WSB TV
• Promenade
• Fox Theatre
• Atlanta Tech Village
• Southface - Main Campus
• Two Live Oak
Top Performers - Water
• One Atlantic Center*
• St. Luke's Episcopal Church*
• Hyatt Regency Atlanta*
• American Cancer Society Center*
• Branan Towers*
• Asbury Harris Epworth Towers*
• The Hurt Building
• R. Russell Federal Building - Courthouse
• Fox Theatre
• Two Midtown Plaza
• One Midtown Plaza
• WSB-TV
• Woodruff Arts Center Memorial Arts Building
• Bank of America Plaza
• Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
• Promenade
• Peachtree Summit Federal Building
• The Georgia Trust - Rhodes Hall
• The Turner Building
• Westminster Schools
* Those designated with an asterisk have been recognized as top performers for two years running (2013 and 2014).
Atlanta, along with Seattle and Los Angeles, were the first cities selected by President Obama in 2011 to participate in this U.S. Department of Energy-backed sustainability program that has since expanded throughout the country. Originating in Downtown, the Atlanta BBC has grown to include participation throughout the city, including the Midtown and Buckhead communities.
Led locally by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, in partnership with Central Atlanta Progress, Midtown Alliance, and Livable Buckhead, the Atlanta BBC is working towards a goal to reduce energy and water consumption by at least 20 percent in participating buildings across Atlanta by 2020.
To date, the Atlanta BBC encompasses more than 228 buildings in Downtown, Midtown and Buckhead, totaling more than 73 million square feet. In 2013, the Challenge achieved over 9% in energy savings and more than 86 million gallons in water savings. Based on mid-year reporting, the program anticipates an additional 2% in energy savings for 2014.
As a result of the success they have already achieved, Emory University has announced plans to expand its footprint within the program, adding both Emory Healthcare and Emory Campus to their portfolio. With these additions, Emory University currently totals approximately 6.5 million square feet of property pledged to the Atlanta BBC.
The Atlanta BBC is made possible thanks to generous support from its sponsors, including Kendeda Fund, Turner Foundation, McKenney's, TOTO USA, Brogdon Group, Recycling Management Resources, Mingledorff's, Affairs to Remember, Center for Civil and Human Rights, Atlanta History Center, Consensus Energy, EcoZohm, LLC and Georgia Recycling Coalition.