Southface selects architectural firm Lord, Aeck & Sargent to design new commercial building

Atlanta (April 24, 2003)

A 25-year-old, nonprofit environmental organization growing exponentially, Southface Energy Institute has selected the award-winning architecture firm Lord, Aeck & Sargent to design the Southface Eco Office.

Adjacent to Southface's existing facility, the commercial building, projected to open in July 2004, will provide essential program, administration and environmental demonstration space.

This project has Southface, who promotes environmentally responsible building, and Lord, Aeck & Sargent creating the Southeast's most innovative office demonstrating "green," or environmentally friendly, design. Southface and the Lord, Aeck & Sargent team will also aim for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, a designation given by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

"Since its inception, we've been enthusiastic about collaborating on this one-of-a-kind demonstration building," said LEED-accredited professional and head project architect Jim Nicolow, AIA.

Built to augment the 1996-built residential demonstration house at 241 Pine Street in Midtown, Atlanta, the new space will show off green building techniques: energy efficiency and solar design, efficient water use/reuse, smart selection of materials/resources, environmentally friendly construction practices, daylighting and waste management. As the house helped launch the EarthCraft House program to penetrate the green residential market, Southface expects the new office to transform the market for commercial green building.

"The 10,000-square-foot Eco Office will demonstrate the added value to the property owner and improved occupant productivity, " said Jules Paulk, director of Southface Green Building Services. "A green building demonstration of this size is particularly relevant to the marketplace, as 70% of U.S. commercial buildings are less than 20,000 square-feet," she said.

For Southface's new building, Lord, Aeck & Sargent has brought together an outstanding, LEED-certified design team, with a wide body of knowledge regarding environmentally sensitive design, research facilities and educational facilities. In a partnership with Southface, the architecture firm Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback and Associates will donate consulting time in its role as the Architectural Owners Representative.

In addition to the highest level of professionalism, attention to detail and commitment to clients through high quality service, Lord, Aeck & Sargent is dedicated to supporting the community. This new project gives both Lord, Aeck & Sargent and Southface a venue to teach the whole green design and construction community about reducing the negative environmental impact derived from building and maintaining commercial structures. (more)

Lord, Aeck & Sargent is a full-service architectural firm specializing in science, historic preservation and education. With offices in Atlanta and Ann Arbor, Michigan, the firm works to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy places to live and work. Lord, Aeck & Sargent is the recipient of more than 55 national distinctions, including multiple AIA Honor Awards for Excellence in Architecture, three R&D Magazine Laboratory of the Year Awards, and most recently, the Construction Specification Institute's National Environmental Sensitivity Award.

Southface Energy Institute promotes sustainable homes, workplaces and communities through education, research, advocacy and technical assistance. Since 1978, Southface has earned a national reputation in energy, building science and environmentally sustainable design. In addition to holding the position as one of four regional affiliates of the USGBC, Southface has received awards for excellence from the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the State of Georgia and American Institute of Architects.

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