| Georgia World Congress Center |
On October
28, 2014 the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) announced the 3.9 million
square feet conference center was awarded LEED
Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
Tim Trefzer, GWCC director of sustainability, presented the certification at the monthly GWCC Board Meeting to an enthusiastic audience.
The
announcement thrusts Atlanta into the national | global
sustainability spotlight as home to the world's largest LEED certified
convention center AND the 14th largest LEED certified building. The GWCC LEED
Silver certification is a monumental achievement with far reaching
environmental and economic implications!
 |
| GWCC Board Chair Tom Lowe congratulating Tim |
LEED -
Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design - is a green building
certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and
practices within the USGBC umbrella.To receive LEED certification, building
projects satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different
certification levels. For a pre-existing building, LEED certification is often a
multi-year endeavor.
In 2005 the
GWCC began investigating the feasibility of green building certifications for a facility first opened in 1976 with 750,000 square feet. By 2008, the GWCC
started recycling OCC - old corrugated cardboard - and embarked on an
energy conservation program. With perfect timing in late 2008, the GWCC was the
first Zero Waste Zones (ZWZ) Founding Participant to join the program.
On February
10, 2009 the GWCC hosted the acclaimed ZWZ press conference launching the
groundbreaking program. Later in the day, all
food related to the Meeting Planners International (MPI) 1200-person luncheon hosted at the GWCC was
either consumed, donated or collected for compost - NONE went to the landfill!
 |
| ZWZ Chair Laura Turner Seydel @ ZWZ press conference hosted by GWCC |
Thus, the
GWCC was the foundation for Atlanta's first sustainability spotlight with
significant media including: 1> City Aims for Zero Waste CNN story
aired prime time in national and global markets during Earth Week
2009 and 2> Nudging Recycling From Less Waste to None New
York Times front-page article in October, 2009.
Atlanta, via the ZWZ, was THE national leader in the commercial collection of food waste for compost
and has paved the way for standard industry practices.The GWCC was the FIRST
commercial foodservice operator to separate food waste for compost collection
in the ZWZ program.
In 2010 the
GWCC solidified their sustainability commitment by hiring Tim for the new
dedicated sustainability coordinator position.The Zero Waste in ACTION (ZWA)
Blog article, GWCCA Walks their Talk, announces the
new campus-wide position and lists Tim's impressive credentials. As a LEED
Accredited Professional, Tim was well-versed in the steps necessary for the
fourth largest convention center in the nation to pursue LEED certification.
 |
| GWCC executives with LEED plaque Kevin Duvall, Patrick Skaggs, Tim & Mark Zimmerman |
Note Tim's
responsibilities extend to all facilities within the
state-owned Georgia World Congress Center Authority including the GWCC,
the Georgia Dome, Olympic Centennial Park and more recently the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center.
Beyond waste
reduction,Tim's responsibilities encompass the spectrum of sustainability
including energy, cleaning, material used in construction | repairs & maintenance, and water conservation to list a few areas.
One of Tim's
first projects was administering the $2.3 million grant
for a major lighting retrofit and controls system upgrade through the State
Retrofit Program. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the
funds were secured through GA Environmental Finance Authority's State Energy Program.The IMPACT Blog article, GWCC Rolling in the Green, details the
retrofits funded by the grant.
 |
| Tim & Charlie with the LEED Silver Certificate |
Committed to
LEED certification success, the GWCC contracted with Sustainable InvestmentGroup (SIG) to advise Tim and his team through the certification process. SIG
principal & co-founder Charlie Cichetti was instrumental in creating an
achievable action path that lead to the October 28 GWCC LEED Silver certification announcement.
Under Tim's
leadership and SIG guidance, the GWCC Sustainability Committee worked in unison
on taking the many necessary steps to achieve the points required for
certification. In the formal press release, GWCC general manager Mark
Zimmerman commented:
“Tim Trefzer and the GWCCA Sustainability Committee did an outstanding job securing this award. We are very proud to be LEED Silver certified, this is a monumental achievement for the GWCC and the convention industry as a whole.”
 |
| GWCCA Sustainability Committee |
Pictured at right are the GWCCA Sustainability Committee: Adam Straight (GA Dome Director of Facility Operations),
Josh Robison (GWCC Director of Engineering), Patrick White (GWCC Director of
Building Services), Tim, Shawn King (GWCCA Warehouse/Inventory Control
Manager), Chris Chadwick (GWCC Event Services), Mercy Mbugua (GWCCA Director of
Purchasing), and Alicia McNeese (GWCCA Communications).
From a waste
minimization standpoint, the GWCCA has impressive FY 2014 stats: 275
tons of single-stream recyclables, 119 tons of organics for composting, over 58 tons of excess food donated to local organizations, and 27 tons of cardboard baled for sale, for a total of 602 tons of material diverted from landfills. GWCC
foodservice operator Levy Restaurants is a strong partner and responsible for the
food donations and organics collected for composting.
Other GWCC accomplishments include:
- 34% less water used than if
standard code restroom fixtures were installed.
- Nearly 50% of employee commutes are
reduced by walking, biking, carpooling, public transportation and
teleworking.
- Approximately 26% more energy
efficient than an average building of similar size and characteristics.
- 86% (by cost) of janitorial paper
and cleaning products meet sustainability criteria, including recycled content
materials and reduced harmful chemicals.
- 73% (by cost) of office supply
purchases were sustainably procured.
 |
| Tim with Atlanta sustainability professionals: David Freedman, Shelby Buso & Beth Bond |
Though not easily measured, the following programs | actions are strong
contributors to the GWCC's environmental stewardship:
- Integrated pest control takes a
proactive approach, thus reducing toxic pesticide use.
- Installation of electric vehicle
charging stations encourages alternative transportation options.
- The International Plaza is a
"green roof" capping the seven-story red parking deck and reduces
the urban heat island effect and stormwater run-off.
Sustainability is a journey with many milestones yet no specific destination. With each milestone achieved industry leaders establish new benchmarks for others to achieve. The LEED Silver certification is a tremendous accomplishment for the GWCC and sets a new industry benchmark.
... and yet the Georgia World Congress Center sustainability journey continues with many significant milestones in the foreseeable future!
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