Southface Institute: Blog

2018: Forecasting What’s To Come In Sustainability

About Us
Green Building
Green Technology

2017 saw a lot of new technology and brought about a host of engaging conversations that redefined the direction of sustainability and environmental issues. From Tesla’s solar roof shingles to Living Product Certification, the past year was dynamic for the sustainability industry. 2018 will undoubtedly be no different as technology and science continue to shape the way humans interact with the natural world. While we may not know what’s to come this year, we went to the Southface Leadership team …

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Green Infrastructure In Our Own Backyard

Green Building

Green infrastructure exists all around us, and yet most people probably wouldn’t be able to point to an example of it, let alone be able to describe what it is. Atlanta is a hotbed for sustainable developments, thanks in large part to the commitment of City offices and agencies. Green infrastructure is a cost-effective approach to mitigating flooding and stormwater runoff, while promoting the construction of natural parks and greenspaces that enhance a community’s health and wellbeing. Over the past …

Tags: Green Infrastructure, Greenspace

EarthCraft House Version 2: What To Expect

Green Building

  It is now 2018, and with a new year comes updates to the EarthCraft House Program. It’s no secret that 2017 was a busy and developmental year for EarthCraft House. Last year, the EarthCraft team identified a need to review and update key programmatic elements that would not only simplify the certification process, but would also refocus on the core benefits of building (and living in) an EarthCraft home. With these changes, EarthCraft hopes to further impact the building …

Tags: EarthCraft

Top Articles from EarthCraft in 2017

Green Building

For EarthCraft, 2017 was a year of growth and sustained commitment to improving high performance, energy efficiency, and environment stewardship in buildings throughout the community. If we had to describe 2017 in a single word, it would be “impact.” Over the past 12 months, EarthCraft has worked to expand the reach of the green building industry in the Southeast. Now more than ever, there is a need to engage in dialogue on the importance of high performance buildings and its …

Tags: EarthCraft

What Has Southface Accomplished This Year?

About Us

Making a difference and working towards a more sustainable future is core to Southface, as an organization. Many of our programs and initiatives support the livelihoods of a variety of people in the Southeast and across the U.S. As we enter the 2017 holiday season, we want to take a moment to reflect on this incredible year.

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The Nuts & Bolts of Decatur’s High Performing Building Standard

Communities
Green Building

  In 2015, the City of Decatur passed a unified development ordinance (UDO) requiring all new residential and commercial construction to be “green certified.” Known as Decatur’s High Performance Building Standard, the regulation aims to move the City of Decatur towards a more sustainable future, focusing on high quality, high performing buildings and wellbeing for residents. Over the past several years, green certification programs like EarthCraft have taken a holistic approach to green building, high performance, and sustainability. While its …

Tags: EarthCraft, LEED

Smart Home Technology To Add To Your Holiday Wishlist

Green Technology

  Smart home technology tools have the power to save homeowners money and energy – all with the push of a smartphone button. A connected home gives its owner control over simple systems like lights and HVAC or more complex systems like garden irrigation and bathing options. But smart tech isn’t about having shiny new toys. These digital tools have the power to help homeowners save energy and water, learning daily routines and adjusting their settings to ensure energy savings …

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Community Solar Helps Residents Reduce Energy Consumption and Save Money

Policy
Renewable Energy

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, Georgia is one of the top 10 solar states. There are 170,000 homes powered by solar and there are 3,924 solar jobs in the state, but how can we make solar power and energy efficiency more accessible?

Tags: Solar

Empowering Georgia Workforces through Green Infrastructure

Communities
Education

After months of preparation, Southface officially launched The Green Infrastructure and Resilience Institute (GIRI). GIRI recognizes the benefits of GI and provides knowledge and experience to deploy transformative GI projects throughout Metro Atlanta and in additional Georgia communities.

Tags: Green Infrastructure, Workforce Development

Grants to Green is Helping Nonprofits Elevate Their Missions

Green Building

The Grants to Green story began when The Kendeda Fund approached leadership of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta (CFGA) in 2007 with a bright idea. The Kendeda Fund wanted to initiate a grant-making program that would transform the nonprofit sector by encouraging nonprofits to renovate or build healthier workplaces that are energy, water and resource efficient.

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