Southface Institute: Blog

Cooling Our Atmosphere by Trapping Carbon

Climate Change
Green Technology

As communities close to home and around the globe experience increasingly severe and frequent weather impacts, climate change is top of mind for individuals and countries alike. One of the greatest culprits in a warming Earth is the increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Tags: Carbon Sequestration

Visionary Dinner: A Celebration of Sustainability

Events

Each year, Southface Institute convenes forward- thinking innovators who are committed to building an equitable and sustainable future, uniting them for an evening of thought leadership, exquisite food and fine wine pairings. This annual event raises awareness and guarantees a secure future for Southface’s continued work in creating vibrant, healthy communities for all.

Tags: Visionary Dinner

Southface Purchases Piece of Civic Center Property

Blog

ATLANTA, GA – September 20, 2019 – Southface Institute and Atlanta Housing have closed on the first transaction of approximately 0.7 acres, which includes the existing Southface campus, located at 241 Pine Street NE. Southface has been on this site, under a long-term land lease, since 1995 when it moved from Moreland Avenue to construct a demonstration facility that highlights residential sustainability in partnership with the City of Atlanta prior to the 1996 Olympic Games.

Tags:

True Cost of Climate Change-Fueled Disasters Higher Than Estimates

Climate Change

Studies have said that the cost of climate change-related disasters could reduce the U.S. GDP by 6% to 14% by the end of this century. Allocating funds to disaster recovery means taking them away from other areas essential for growth. NOAA calculated that for 2017 and 2018, productive growth investments lost $400 billion because of what was instead used to respond to climate-related disaster.

Tags: Natural Disaster

Five Low-Impact Solutions for Managing Stormwater in an Urban Environment

Communities

Heavy summer rainfall is common in the hot and humid subtropical climate of the Southeast. What happens to all that water? Until communities flood or their water sources become contaminated, most of us don’t think about it. In fact, excess stormwater runoff can damage land and buildings, parks, playgrounds and more. As stormwater flows over land, it picks up contaminants including debris, oils, grease, metals and excess nutrients from fertilizers. If not mitigated, it can contaminate habitats and waterways.

Tags: Green Infrastructure, Green Roof

Southface Institute’s Visionary Dinner to Gather Leaders in Sustainability and Present 2019 Argon Award

Blog

Southface Institute, the Atlanta-based national leader in sustainable advocacy, building, planning and operations, is hosting its annual Visionary Dinner that convenes forward-thinking innovators who are committed to building an equitable and sustainable future, uniting them for an evening of thought leadership, friendship, exquisite food and fine wine pairings.

Tags: Visionary Dinner

Southface Releases Guides to Updated 2020 Energy Code

Blog

ATLANTA, GA—August 20, 2019—Southface Institute released Georgia 2020 Energy Code Field Guides for both residential and commercial buildings, providing vital guidance for the dramatically updated code. Developed in partnership with the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), these resources will be used on jobsites by inspectors and subcontractors to support implementation of Georgia’s 2020 Residential and Commercial Building Energy Codes, which are set to go into effect on January 1, 2020.

Tags: Energy Code