Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design

• Achieve full Living Building Challenge certification.
• Generate net-positive energy and water performance.
• Utilize salvaged and locally sourced materials to promote sustainability.
• Enhance biodiversity and restore native ecosystems.
• Serve as an educational resource for students, professionals, and the community.

• Approximately 60,000 individual plants were installed across the site, representing over 180 species, 95% of which are native to the Southeastern United States. Planting zones include upland meadow, wet meadow, shaded understory, and emergent wetland areas, with species such as bee balm (Monarda didyma), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), soft rush (Juncus effusus), and blue flag iris (Iris virginica).
• More than 50 canopy trees were planted or preserved on site, including Southern red oak (Quercus falcata), tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), and American elm (Ulmus americana). Mature willow oaks and sweetgums were retained and protected during construction using tree fencing and modified grading strategies.
• A series of specialized gardens totaling over 5,000 sf are distributed throughout the site. These include a pollinator garden with milkweed and echinacea, a medicinal herb bed with yarrow and mint, an edible vegetable garden with rotating crops, and a linear orchard with fig and pawpaw trees. Each garden is framed with decomposed granite paths and low stone borders.
• 3 vertical Langstroth-style beehives constructed of untreated cedar are located on a gravel pad near the medicinal garden. The apiary is partially screened by flowering perennials and enclosed with a low wood fence.
• A 10,000-sf intensive green roof is planted with sedum, native grasses, and drought-tolerant perennials. The roof includes wide, slip-resistant metal grate paths and is accessible for maintenance and educational tours.
• 5 rain gardens ranging from 75 to 300 sf are located adjacent to walkways and buildings. They are planted with species such as pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) and duck potato (Sagittaria latifolia) and feature amended soils and subsurface drainage to manage stormwater.
• A 50,000-gallon precast concrete cistern located beneath the plaza collects roof and hardscape runoff. It provides irrigation for the orchard and edible gardens and serves as a non-potable backup water source.
• A subsurface constructed wetland garden located at the building’s entrance is approximately 800 sf and treats greywater from sinks, showers, and janitorial uses. The wetland uses gravel filtration, wetland vegetation, and microbial processes to cleanse the water before it infiltrates into the subsoil.
• Composting toilets installed within the building use minimal water and are connected to a basement composting system. The system produces compost that may be used in ornamental beds where permitted.
• Reclaimed materials are integrated throughout the landscape. Exterior benches are fabricated from white oak and water oak salvaged after storm events. Granite curbs were sourced from the demolished Atlanta Archives Building. Additional reused materials include salvaged pavers, slate tile, plywood, and stair treads from Tech Tower.
• Outdoor gathering spaces include a 4,000-sf lawn panel, 3 shaded plazas with movable seating, and several small garden nooks with wood benches and stone edging.
• Approximately 8,000 sf of unit pavers and 4,200 sf of porous concrete are used in plazas, walkways, and gathering areas. These surfaces are set over engineered gravel beds and are designed to support infiltration while maintaining ADA accessibility.
• All pedestrian routes include accessible grades and surfaces, with minimum 5-ft widths. Materials include stabilized crushed stone, porous pavers, and broom-finished concrete. Tactile warning strips and flush transitions are provided at all crossings.
• Site grading was minimized to reduce earthwork and maintain the natural topography. A balanced cut-and-fill approach was used to avoid import or export of soil. Grading directs water to vegetated stormwater features without requiring additional storm sewer infrastructure.

• No dedicated maintenance budget was initially proposed for the Kendeda Building’s landscape due to funding allocations prioritizing construction. While Georgia Tech provides routine upkeep such as general landscaping and custodial services, the specialized maintenance required for the constructed wetland, rooftop farm, and stormwater management features was not initially accounted for. Additional funding should have been identified to ensure long-term care for these systems and prevent potential degradation of their environmental performance​.
• During site preparation, the project team uncovered remnants of the site’s former use as a parking lot. Soil testing identified contaminants in several areas, prompting the removal of unsuitable materials and replacement with clean, manufactured planting soils. Subgrades were decompacted and amended according to performance-based specifications to ensure safe, healthy conditions for landscape installation and long-term plant viability.
• The Kendeda Building was designed as an academic-forward facility but has also become a highly sought-after event space. The initial expectation was that event rentals would be limited to university-affiliated groups, but demand from external organizations exceeded projections. As a result, adjustments to the booking process and pricing structure were necessary to balance accessibility with revenue generation, ensuring that event rentals contribute to the financial sustainability of the building’s operations​.
• The design team anticipated that the constructed wetland and rain gardens would support local biodiversity, but they did not foresee the extent of wildlife interactions with the landscape. Over time, some plantings intended to stabilize wetland edges were heavily browsed by wildlife, particularly mammals such as Eastern cottontail rabbits and gray squirrels, which fed on young shoots, seeds, and shrub foliage. This unexpected pressure led to the need for replanting with more resilient, wildlife-tolerant species.
• Some of the originally proposed pervious pavement was ultimately replaced with standard concrete to reduce costs and improve durability. However, this change did not compromise the stormwater performance goals. The site had been generously sized to handle runoff volumes, and the grading was carefully designed to direct water toward nearby stormwater catchment areas. As a result, the system still met its performance targets without needing to replace the pervious pavers with alternative storage or treatment features.
• The decision to reuse salvaged materials, including wood and granite, supported the project’s sustainability goals; however, some choices led to unexpected maintenance issues. For instance, reclaimed wooden benches placed in high-traffic areas required more frequent upkeep to address wear, splintering, and accumulation of debris. Future projects should weigh the benefits of material reuse against long-term maintenance demands when selecting finishes for public spaces.
• Originally, a conventional stormwater management system was considered, but the final design incorporated a decentralized rainwater capture approach, including a 50,000-gallon cistern and multiple rain gardens. While these systems perform well overall, the maintenance required for the cistern and filtration components was more intensive than initially anticipated. Regular upkeep is necessary to ensure continued efficiency and compliance with water quality standards.

Permeable Concrete Pavers: Hanover Architectural Products
Wood Pavers: Bison Innovative Products
Salvage Granite Curb: Lifecycle Building Center
Bollards: Curren Engineering
Vegetated Roof Assembly: American Hydrotech
Salvage White Oak Benches: Raydeo
Bicycle Rack, In-ground Mount: Dero Bike Rack Co.
Bicycle Rack, Wall Mount: Sportworks
Irrigation System: Hunter Industries
Soil Mixtures: ERTH Products
Seed Mix: Roundstone 
Landscaping Edging: Permaloc
River Rock: Ruppert Landscaping

Project Team

Landscape Architect: Andropogon Associates, Ltd.
Architecture: Lord Aeck Sargent, Inc.
Collaborating Architect: The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP
Civil: Long Engineering, Inc.
Structure: Uzun & Case, LLC
Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing & Fire Protection: PAE Consulting Engineers, Inc.
Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing & Fire Protection: Newcomb & Boyd, LLP
Water & Ecology: Biohabitats, Inc.
Life Safety: Jensen Hughes, Inc.

Role of the Landscape Architect

The Living Building Challenge requires project teams to collaborate through a multidisciplinary approach. As landscape architects, the firm led the design of the ecological landscape surrounding the Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, integrating sustainability, biodiversity, and stormwater management.