EPB building earns LEED Gold for environmental sustainability
In November, EPB earned the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification at the Gold level for an existing building.
The certification reflects EPB’s successful efforts to dramatically reduce its environmental impact through energy efficiency, reduced water use, diverting waste from landfills through composting and recycling, and other measures. LEED, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, is the most widely used green building rating system and a symbol of international excellence.
“EPB has shown tremendous leadership in making its own operations more sustainable while providing environmental expertise and sustainable energy options like the Solar Share community solar program to its customers,” said Rhiannon Jacobsen, Vice President, Market Transformation & Development at the U.S. Green Building Council.
Over the last year, EPB:
- Reduced water use by 1.4 million gallons (equivalent to 2.08 Olympic-sized pools)
- Reduced energy costs by $8,250 (82,500 kWh avoided)
- Reduced total landfill waste by 63% (62,500 pounds of recycling and compost)
EPB celebrated the announcement by hosting the EPB Green Business Expo to share expertise and resources with other local companies interested in enhancing their sustainability and optimizing their operations.
America’s First Carbon-Neutral MiLB Game powered by EPB’s Solar Share™
The Chattanooga Lookouts became the first minor league baseball team in America to play a game that was 100 percent carbon-neutral, powered through locally-generated solar energy credits provided by EPB in partnership with TVA. The Lookouts wore special jerseys for the “Green Power Night” home game against Montgomery in August 2019.
“The Lookouts strive to be an environmental leader in minor league baseball, and we’re proud to have local partners like EPB and TVA help us make history on Green Power Night,” said Chattanooga Lookouts President Rich Mozingo. “Chattanooga is our home, and every effort to help clean up the air we breathe creates a better fan experience while adding value to the community we love.”
EPB’s Solar Share, which is Chattanooga’s only community solar installation, powered the game. Solar Share panels located along Holtzclaw Avenue provided solar energy credits to generate the 2,500 kilowatt hours needed to power a game and support operations. This solar energy credit was equivalent to 1.98 tons of carbon.