2021 Triple Bottom Line Award Winner: The Shoppe@Buckhead
We are excited to announce that The Shoppe@Buckhead will be awarded the 2021 Triple Bottom Line Award. The Triple Bottom Line Award recognizes a Buckhead company or organization that has demonstrated success in the development and implementation of programs, projects, or policies that drive sustainability forward in the community.
Owners Mahesh and Smita Patel, with the help of their friend Vinay Bose, set out to find the best ways they could to build a self-sustaining, energy efficient building. Their goals were both environmental and economic – why not use natural resources and save some money at the same time? The Shoppe@Buckhead’s sustainability initiatives include installing solar panels, LED fixtures, energy efficient appliances, and a rainwater harvesting system.
Solar
The original building was built in 1958, with additions over the decades, and was very energy inefficient. So they decided to replace the old building with a new structure. The new building is south-facing, which makes it more energy efficient. The entire building is clad with solar panels, including the canopy and roof. To capture maximum solar energy, they installed architectural solar panels on the south-facing windows with multi-level awnings, made up of solar panels. This property produces at least 45% of its own energy. They could have easily made this number much higher if there was only one business located on site, but there are three: the convenience store, a franchised Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant, and a boutique restaurant with freshly prepared foods, Sumi’s Kitchen.
The solar installs on site have reduced their power consumption from the grid and thereby reduced their carbon footprint.
Water
The Shoppe@Buckhead has a large roof and they decided to take advantage of its size by capturing 100% of the water that falls on the roof. They capture the water in two large 2,000 gallon underground storage vaults. The rainwater is harvested and used where potable water isn’t needed, such as irrigation and cleaning the parking lot. Additionally, they have soak pit with 32,000 gallon storm traps, which lets the excess rainwater percolate into the ground through a 6 foot gravel pit, thereby replenishing the natural water table and sending little to no water from this property into the City’s stormwater system.
We’re so happy to celebrate the efforts that Mahesh, Smita, and Vinay have made at The Shoppe@Buckhead, and we hope their efforts will be an inspiration to others!
