Atlanta Office Building Project Installing Solar Plant, Sustainable Upgrades

(Credit: Palisades)

An office building project in Atlanta is poised to become one of the most sustainable in the region, especially with the addition of a 1 megawatt solar plant at the site.

The four-building office complex called Palisades in the city’s Central Perimeter is undergoing several sustainable renovations led by real estate owner Atlanta Property Group. The upgrades include LED lighting, efficient HVAC systems and sustainable landscaping, in addition to the solar project.

The renewable energy project, called the Plant at Palisades, is expected to come online later this year. It will feature more than 2,400 solar panels on building rooftops, parking decks and a surface parking lot. Once fully operational, the solar plant will generate nearly 15% of the Palisades’ total energy use and help power the site’s electrical systems during the workday.

The 640,000-square-foot office building space will be an all-electric environment, according to the Atlanta Property Group, and will produce no Scope 1 emissions. The real estate owner says Palisades’ carbon footprint with the sustainable investments will be about 40% lower than a typical office property in the city.

Commercial buildings owned by private businesses as well as government entities account for 16% of the total carbon emissions and 18% of primary energy use in the United States, according to the Department of Energy. Of the energy use, 30% is wasted, the DOE says.

That has led commercial buildings to make sustainable renovations and upgrades. The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center recently completed a massive efficient energy overhaul and a hotel being built in Denver is expected to be carbon positive. Earlier this year the DOE installed requirements that all new and updated federal buildings meet certain efficiency standards, which are expected to save $15 billion in energy costs over the next 30 years.

The LED lighting at Palisades will be installed in more than half the site. The complex will also use an irrigation system that draws exclusively from an onsite pond, which will also serve as a carbon sink by absorbing emissions from the air, Atlanta Property Group says.

Additionally, Atlanta Property Group has created a green purchasing policy at Palisades and says it is committed to using eco-friendly building materials and supplies such as recycled carpet and furniture.

“We are bringing a bigger purpose to Palisades and significantly lowering its carbon footprint – a mission we believe will resonate with tenants,” says Jonathan Rodbell, partner at Atlanta Property Group. “Our goal is to create a workplace for businesses that are looking to fulfill ESG commitments, attract climate-conscious employees, and do the right thing for the environment by officing in a lower carbon space.”