We Toured Atlanta's Living Building

by Rachael Pesch
2 minute read

There is a new kind of building that has found itself a home in Atlanta. A living building that gives more than it takes, one that actually creates a positive impact on the human and natural systems that interact with it. 

The Kendeda Building sits on a busy corner of the Georgia Tech campus, in an area that will become the “eco-commons.” The corner was once home to a paved parking lot. Now there is a structure there that actually produces more energy than it consumes, every day.

The building was constructed following the Living Building Challenge, the world’s most rigorous proven performance standard for buildings. The regenerative design framework is constructed to create spaces that, like a flower, give more than they take. Seven “petals” must be achieved to meet the Challenge: Place, Water, Energy, Health & Happiness, Materials, Equity, and Beauty.

Director of the Kendeda Building, Shan Arora, giving us a tour.

We had the opportunity to tour the building in October. Director of the Kendeda Building, Shan Arora, took us around the structure and provided an explanation of the ins and outs of the building. A large ramp serves as the centerpiece of the entranceway - contributing to the equity petal. The ceiling consists of sound-reducing (health & happiness petal) wooden two-by-sixes responsibly harvested from Alabama (materials petal), and was built by workers from the non-profit Georgia Works (equity petal). Leftover ceiling materials were used for the stairs (materials petal). The composting toilets don’t flush gallons of water - instead they use foam which uses only a few ounces of water (water petal). Not only do the solar panels on the roof capture sunlight and convert it to energy to power the building (energy petal), they funnel rainwater to cisterns below which treat the water to meet the building’s potable water demand (water petal).

What is really surprising about the Kendeda Building is the low level of technology that was required to create the building. Solar panels, water cisterns, wooden beams, and steel. It’s not a building filled with the latest, most expensive technologies - the impressive value lies in the design, planning, and execution. Deep collaboration between the architects and the builders was required to overcome challenges.

Demonstrating that a living building is possible in the Southeast was the main goal of the project. The hope is that it will serve to inspire architects, builders, policymakers, faculty, students and other stakeholders to rise to the Challenge and carry on the movement toward regenerative design and construction.

Has it inspired you?