Sustainable Georgia Roundup

Continued Progress: Commercial flooring manufacturer Interface is making progress toward its MissionZero goal of eliminating any negative impact on the environment by 2020. Its 2017 EcoMetrics results show the Atlanta-based manufacturer has:

• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions from energy use at its facilities by 96 percent since 1996;

• Shrunk the carbon footprint of its average carpet tile 66 percent since 1996;

• Used 58 percent recycled or bio-based raw materials in products;

• Diverted 13 million pounds of post-consumer carpet from landfills;

• Improved energy efficiency by 43 percent since 1996.

These achievements led to Interface being named one of the top three global sustainability leaders in the 2018 GlobeScan Sustainability Leaders Survey. Interface is the only company recognized for 21 consecutive years by the international consulting firm.

Cutting Energy Costs: The University of Georgia (UGA) received a $5-million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop strategies to increase the efficiency of lighting used in greenhouses and indoor plant factories. Energy costs for lighting in controlled environment agriculture make it hard for all but the most profitable crops to be grown. If costs could be cut by 50 percent, which is UGA’s goal, more food could be grown efficiently in arid, frigid or urban areas.

Atlanta Awards: Communications cabling manufacturer Superior Essex received a 2018 Global Sustainability Award for Non-electronics Hardware from the Telecommunications Industry Association.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation and Aquatic Center received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold rating from the U.S Green Building Council.