Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, Georgia | 2019

Architects: The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP in collaboration with Lord Aeck Sargent, a Katerra Company
Client: Georgia Tech Design and Construction
General Contractor: Skanska USA
Photographers: Jonathan Hillyer and Justin Chan

Located just outside the heart of Atlanta, The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design at Georgia Tech is slated to be the first Living Building of its kind in the Southeast United States, setting a new standard for sustainability. Designed by the collaboration of The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP, and Lord Aeck Sargent, a Katerra Company (LAS), The Kendeda Building proves regenerative design is achievable for any building.

The Living Building Challenge (LBC) is the world’s most rigorous proven performance sustainability certification standard for buildings. A Full Certified Living Building needs to meet all 20 Imperatives of the Challenge, which are divided into seven Petals, or performance areas: Place, Water, Energy, Health + Happiness, Materials, Equity, and Beauty. Currently, there are less than 25 Full Certified Living Buildings in the world, the smallest percentage of those existing in climates similar to Atlanta. The design and construction of The Kendeda Building demonstrate that Living Buildings are possible in even the most challenging climates.

When considering Net Positive Energy requirements having sufficient capacity to cool and de-humidify a building can use large amounts of energy. The Kendeda Building’s design focuses on a tight building envelope and a modern adaptation of the porch vernacular to support passive cooling, solar harvesting, and rainwater capture. The original concept of the building’s Covered Porch was consciously designed with intentional outdoor learning spaces in mind to create a more sustainable, healthier building. The end result provides over 21,000 sqft of outdoor spaces for learning or social purposes.

Taking the porch design a step further, the Regenerative Porch is truly the sustainable heart of The Kendeda Building. Nearly every strategy to meet the LBC and support the building’s performance is located here. The Regenerative Porch showcases an integrated design that supports a comfortable environment for all. A floating photovoltaic canopy comprised of over 900 solar panels was sized to collect enough renewable energy to meet 105 percent of the power needs for the facility, or the maximum performance of the LBC. Currently, the array is expected to produce about 140 percent of the anticipated use and will export excess supply to other buildings on the Georgia Tech campus.

What will be the largest higher education building to achieve Living Building certification, The Kendeda Building serves as a prototype for a responsible design that showcases didactic architecture in action. The intent of the building is to act as a learning lab and incubator for a diverse collection of students. Much like its inner workings, the building as a whole serves more than one purpose. On the one hand, it provides students with a state-of-the-art facility to learn, explore, create, research, and innovate. On the other hand, the building also contributes to its surrounding environment.  Designed to mimic the anatomy of a flower, the Living Building Challenge inherently connects all parties involved with nature. The users are able to inhabit a facility that not only functions in a natural way but aims to connect people with the surrounding environment.

Sustainable architecture has come a long way in the last decade and has shown that regenerative design is beautiful. Through The Kendeda Building, Miller Hull and LAS created a bold, iconic design that is not only inspirational but reflects the values of the project’s partners and the Living Building Challenge. Completed in 2019, The Kendeda Building is currently in its one-year performance period and targeting Living Building certification in 2021.