The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design has officially opened

The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States aims to generate more electricity from solar panels than it uses on an annual basis.

The 4366-square metre structure features a 917-solar panel canopy that harnesses energy and provides shade for the south and west façades and also collects rainwater, which is treated for all uses, including drinking.

Other sustainable elements of the design, by Lord Aeck Sargent and The Miller Hull Partnership, include the innovative use of reclaimed materials, composting toilets and the diversion of more waste from landfills than the facility sends to them.

The project is also home to a 400-square metre rooftop garden featuring a honeybee apiary, pollinator garden and blueberry orchard.

Georgia Tech President Dr. Ángel Cabrera said: “The Kendeda Building is an incredible and beautiful example of sustainable design, integration with nature, human inclusion and well-being.

“It is the most sustainable building of its kind in the [US] southeast. And thanks to our partnership with the Kendeda Fund it will inspire architects, civil engineers, business and policy leaders for generations to come.”

Dena Kimball, Executive Director of The Kendeda Fund, added: “The official opening of the building is the starting point, not the finish line.

“Now the real work begins, as Georgia Tech embraces the goals of the Living Building Challenge and demonstrates what is required to operate a building that gives more than it takes and creates a positive impact on the human and natural systems that surround it.”