Business & Tech

Centergy One Building earns LEED Certification

High-rise in Tech Square got green with new cleaning, recycling and irrigation programs.

A high-rise building in Midtown's Technology Square now uses less energy and water. 

Centergy One -- the approximately 500,000-square-foot building on 5th Street  -- recently earned LEED silver certification.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program certifies buildings use sustainable practices. 

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A team at Centergy One began making changes in early 2010.

“We didn’t start our conservation efforts with LEED in mind,” said Chris McCall, senior property manager with Fifth Street Management Company (the management firm that worked with Centergy One's tenants and vendors to make the changes).

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"We were green first -- and LEED, second," McCall said. "We continue to look for opportunities to save our tenants money and make the building a better place."

Centergy One was the first building in Atlanta to start a day-cleaning program, which reduced electricity costs about 10 percent, according to Georgia Tech. Crews clean the building during work hours, so utilities such as heating and air can be shut off when offices close in the evening.

McCall said the approximately 1,400 people who work in Centergy One -- which houses the and Tech's -- were "very, very cooperative" when the cleaning cycle changed. 

A single-strem recycling program also was implemented at the building. That means trash is collected from one bin at a desk and then sorted for recycling later. McCall said between 50 and 72 percent of the building's waste is recycled through the program.

"It's just a very easy way for the tenants to be able to recycle," she said. 

Another change -- the courtyard at Centergy One was revamped to conserve water. Native and low-water plants were installed, as well as a drip irrigation system. 

McCall said Fifth Street Management will continue to press for greener business methods. 

"Our team is so attuned to what is new," she said. “That’s the exciting part of the job. There is more to come.”


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