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- This facility will not only serve as a shining example
of sustainable buildings, but it will also serve
as a living laboratory for our students,
our faculty, and staff here at Georgia Tech.
- First of all, I think it's gonna dispel a lot of myths
about the South cannot have high performance buildings.
The South is one of the most challenging climates
in the world to design for, but we can do it here.
We can have buildings
that generate more energy than they use,
that capture all the water they need from the skies,
that use materials wisely and have healthy building design.
- Our biggest goal will be how we can educate,
not only Atlanta, but also the people that are involved
with this particular project, and I think
that Georgia Tech, being an institution of engineering,
is a great opportunity to actually get this message out.
- A living building challenge is not just about a building
or even just about energy and water sustainability,
but it's really about also bringing in social equity,
individual's health, and Georgia Tech was gonna be
a perfect partner to explore all of those things with us.
- You're gonna find that this building, not only leads
in practice, it will drive changes in the practice.
- We want this to be the building that keeps on giving,
and when it's finished, it will continue to inspire,
to be an impetus for bringing new materials,
new ways of building, new ways of using water,
and saving energy.
- The project is part of a continuum
of ever-greener buildings that Tech has put on campus,
and we felt blessed really to have a partner
that would embrace the building without feeling
that building a building
to these specifications would be a chore.
- The lessons I believe
that we learn here at Georgia Tech,
will be invaluable in helping the entire state,
rural areas, urban centers, move forward
and take advantage of the clean energy economy.
- We're trying to build the building using a number
of materials that have not generally been used
at the forefront of construction all the time.
We're trying not to use materials
that we're all accustomed to using.
I think the real challenge though, is putting
all this together with all of the environmental concerns,
all of the environmental constraints,
and to create a lasting, wonderful environment
that students are gonna be able to do great things in it
for the next 50 to 100 years.
- We looked back to look forward.
We went back to some vernacular architectural systems
such as deep overhanging porches and large tree canopies
to minimize the energy use.
We're also integrating new technologies
such as exterior motorized blinds,
and a radiant heating and cooling system
to also reduce that energy load.
- The primary thing that we're looking for in the design
of this building is to create a paradigm shift.
One good example of that is looking at thermal comfort
and what it means to be comfortable in the building,
allowing for buildings to actually expand with the seasons.
- Sustainability is not just about protecting environment.
It is about creating a strong, equitable community,
and through efforts of all the students on campus,
Georgia Tech has strived to become the epitome
of a sustainable university.
- We're really excited for the project in the Southeast
because it's gonna serve as a model.
We now have an example that we're gonna be able to point to
that say, look, it is possible to take buildings,
and they don't have to come
with a requisite burden on the environment.
They can work with their environment.
They can give back.
It's a really important breakthrough,
and if we've got one that's working
and it's online in Atlanta,
then everybody in the Southeast can point to that building,
and we now have an example that it can be done.
- Georgia Tech is producing the next generation
of architects and engineers and scientists
and public policy experts, not just for Atlanta,
not just for Georgia,
but really for the Southeast and beyond.
To be able to put this building in an environment
where that entire next generation of leaders
was gonna have access to the project was exciting for us.