Just call us the Green Galleria. Childress Klein’s property management team at Atlanta Galleria Office Park is proud of the initiatives we’ve implemented and others we’re working on. We’re taking a comprehensive approach to making sure the office buildings do what they can to lessen their impact on the environment. This includes programs covering lighting, energy conservation, cleaning, recycling, water conservation and alternative transportation options for the people who work in our buildings.
“At Childress Klein, we find and implement solutions that are good for the environment and business, and we know our tenants expect us to employ sustainable practices,” says Jack Kennedy, chief engineer.
Here are some of Atlanta Galleria’s green initiatives currently under way.
Lighting: We’ve replaced all fixtures to accommodate higher-efficiency lamps, started recycling lamps to keep them (and potential contamination) out of landfills and upgraded to higher efficiency fluorescent lighting in parking decks.
Energy conservation: Three of our buildings (100, 400, and 600) have the Energy Star designation, and two others (300 and 700) are in the process of achieving it. We have an aggressive preventive maintenance program for HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) equipment to ensure maximum efficiency, and though we do offer HVAC on Saturday mornings, we only supply it to tenants who request it.
Cleaning: Our janitorial contractor uses energy efficient vacuums, green cleaning products and other environmentally friendly practices. Paper towels and toilet tissue are made from recycled materials.
Recycling: Office workers can put all recyclable materials in desk-side bins. The only material that goes to the landfill is trash from break rooms and restrooms.
Water Conservation: We use “grey” water to clean windows and are installing low-flow fixtures and waterless urinals. We’ve chosen drought-tolerant landscaping and also use devices that measure the moisture level in the soil to help us determine whether our sprinklers need to be activated.
Alternative Transportation: We are served by the Cumberland Community Improvement District, which coordinates vanpools and other transportation alternatives for thousands of area commuters, including many working in our buildings.
What about LEED certification? While LEED is the buzzword in green building today, we’ve decided not to apply for the certification now. The LEED-EB (existing building) standard recently changed, so we’ve worked with a consultant to better understand the new rules’ impact. It’s best to wait for the process to stabilize. In the meantime, we’ve achieved the Energy Star rating, a prerequisite to LEED-EB.
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