Atlas Earns ACEC National Recognition for Net-Positive Kendeda Building, Winner of ‘Living Building Challenge’

ATLANTA, June 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Atlas Technical Consultants, a leading infrastructure and environmental solutions provider, announced today that it has won an American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) National Recognition Award for its contribution to the Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design as part of the Engineering Excellence Awards Program. The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design is a $30-million, 42,500-square-foot building that was integrated into the EcoCommons space at the Georgia Institute of Technology. From planning to construction, Long Engineering, an Atlas Company, provided a suite of services including Site Planning, Civil Engineering/Site Design/Stormwater Management, and Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE).

“From the outset of the project, we knew that had something special on our hands. Our Living Building Challenge (LBC) certification solidified that feeling, and we are excited that the ACEC recognizes what our teams have accomplished, too,” Atlas/Long Engineering Project Manager Andrew Pankopp said. “We embraced the most rigorous building performance standards in the world, and the results have demonstrated that. The Kendeda building will stand as evidence that sustainable infrastructure can be the model, not just in academia, but across industries.”

Originally commissioned to demonstrate the feasibility of a regenerative green building in a region with extreme temperatures, the Kendeda Building generates more energy than it consumes through a high-efficiency design that contains more than 900 rooftop solar panels. The multidisciplinary classroom structure is surrounded by water-permeable surfaces that naturally treat gray water and stormwater runoff for other purposes. The building also contains a rainwater-to-potable-water treatment system that begins with rooftop rain collection.

“The Kendeda Building uses just one-third the energy of a similar building, generates more electricity than it uses on an annual basis from solar panels on its roof, and captures and treats rainwater for all purposes, including drinking,” Atlas CEO L. Joe Boyer said. “This project is a key demonstration to Atlas’ commitment to sustainable and resilient solutions to infrastructure challenges, and we are proud that ACEC recognizes our efforts.”

At least 50 percent of the building materials and services were sourced from within 621 miles of the site and nearly everything removed during construction was salvaged, recycled, or turned into another usable product. By incorporating recycled materials during construction, the building diverted more waste from the landfill than it sent.