The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design

The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design is the latest example of the Georgia Institute of Technology's sustainability leadership and innovation. It is the first building in Georgia and 28th in the world to earn Living Building Challenge (LBC) certification, the world’s most ambitious and holistic green building achievement. Rather than being less bad for the environment, The Kendeda Building fosters regenerative and restorative relationships amongst humans and nature where people give back more to the environment than they take. The building is net-positive energy and water over the course of each year. By incorporating salvaged materials during construction, the building diverted more waste from the landfill than it sent. To keep economic benefits local, at least 50% of the building materials and services were sourced from within 621 miles of the site. And it prioritizes occupant health and happiness. The Building is composed of materials screened for common hazardous chemicals known to harm human and environmental health. The mission of this multi-disciplinary classroom building is to prove that we can design, construct, and operate regenerative buildings in our region. Kendeda Building staff, who are part of the Office of Sustainability, engage with community, business, and elected leaders to change the paradigm from buildings that are "less bad" to buildings that give back more than they take.