Atlanta's Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) has been awarded LEED Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it announced yesterday. The award makes GWCC -- which totals 3.9 million square feet, including 1.4 million square feet of exhibit space -- the largest LEED-certified convention center in the world.
"We could not be happier to receive this certification," said Frank Poe, executive director of the Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA), the state authority that governs the GWCC, as well as the Georgia Dome and Centennial Olympic Park. "Our staff has worked diligently to green our event practices, reduce our environmental impact, and preserve our facilities for future generations. This recognition solidifies our leadership role in our industry and demonstrates our commitment to the community."
GWCC is approximately 27 percent more energy-efficient than an average building of similar size and characteristics.
"Convention centers have difficulty comparing operational efficiencies because of the unique nature of the industry, whether it is event frequency, size, or type," said GWCC Sustainability Coordinator Tim Trefzer. "The LEED rating system provides a baseline for sustainable operations and maintenance and we at GWCC are ecstatic to be the largest building of our type in the world to meet these stringent environmental criteria."
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