Electric Co-op Today

A Georgia co-op’s new facilities warehouse is golden when it comes to energy efficiency.

The new warehouse at Georgia Transmission Corp. has won two awards this year for green building practices. (Photo By: Brian Rickmond)

Georgia Transmission Corp., Tucker, recently received Gold LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for an 80,400 square-foot warehouse and distribution center. The honor, awarded Oct. 20 in a ceremony at the facility near Forsyth, is the first ever for a new building in middle Georgia, according to co-op officials.

“This high honor from the U.S. Green Building Council reinforces our commitment to sustainability and being a good steward of the community and its resources,” said Mike Smith, president and CEO of Georgia Transmission Corp.

During the ceremony, council officials cited the facility’s energy-efficient lighting; smoke-free environment; low-flow toilets and faucets; use of low-volatile organic compound-emitting materials; water-efficient landscaping; and green cleaning materials.

The national LEED award is the second honor this year for the $5.2 million building, which was completed in late 2009. Earlier this year, the Associated General Contractors of America awarded it first place for best sustainable building practices and a merit award for new construction projects by contractors with revenues of $5 million to $10 million.

Although building to LEED (short for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification cost the co-op an extra $150,000, some energy savings have rolled in, said a spokeswoman. Annually, the co-op expects to save 34.6 percent in energy and 50.7 percent in water.

Tags: Co-op News, Green Energy, Local Initiatives, Renewable Energy