The Kendeda Building Provides Learning Opportunities Across Campus

Nearly three years ago, The Kendeda Fund announced it was generously giving a $30 million donation to the Georgia Institute of Technology to fund the first Living Building in the Southeast region. Named The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, this building is pursuing Living Building Challenge (LBC) 3.1 certification in 2020.

Embodying the philosophy of the Living Building Challenge – to change how humans interact with the built environment – Georgia Tech is applying principles and lessons well beyond the project’s boundaries. As part of the commitment to the Living Building Challenge principles, teams at Georgia Tech are testing both operational and research concepts across campus that will encourage sustainable changes to business practices in design, construction, operations, equity, and building performance on other campus projects.

“Though the lessons from every pilot may not be applicable to all Living Building projects, our hope is that these pilots will encourage other owners pursuing Living Buildings certification to think beyond their own specific boundaries and focus on how their own projects can help inform and influence efficiency improvements and encourage innovation for other owners,” said Howard Wertheimer, institute architect for Georgia Tech. “These pilot projects are causing us to rethink how we are doing business, challenging us to uplift and transform our thinking and approach.”

The first wave of pilot projects included both academic and operational programs. Academic programs included:

• Evaluating Living Building Monitoring Systems.
• Crowdsourcing through Virtual and Augmented Reality.
• Equipping Equity Champions.
• Effects of the Living Building on Biological Diversity and Succession.
• Expanding the Educational Reach of the Living Building to Middle Schoolers.

Operational programs included:

• Green Cleaning.
• Landscaping Test Programs.
• Audio Visual Practices.

Visit livingbuilding.gatech.edu/learning-programs to learn more about these projects and how they are transforming Georgia Tech’s campus both inside and outside of the classroom.

The next round of project proposals has been announced. If you are interested in learning more about the proposal requirements, attend an information session on Thursday, October 4 from 11 a.m. – noon at the College of Design Auditorium.

Proposals are due on Friday, October 12. Proposals and questions may be submitted to GTLivingBuildingProposals@gatech.edu.