Livable Buckhead Recognizes Highwoods Properties and Vacation Express for Sustainability, Mobility Programs
Companies earn honors for outstanding water conservation and commute options programs
ATLANTA – January 15, 2018 – At today’s Buckhead Business Association annual luncheon, Livable Buckhead honored two companies for their achievements in sustainability and mobility in 2018. Highwoods Properties earned the Triple Bottom Line Award for its water conservation programs at Monarch Center, Alliance Center One and Alliance Center Two. Vacation Express was named the Mobility Champion for its commute options program that subsidizes monthly transit passes and has helped the company encourage nearly 20 percent of its employees to use a commute alternative.
“The kind of success that Highwoods and Vacation Express achieved in 2018 doesn’t happen by accident,” said Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead. “These companies have shown real leadership and made a concerted effort to have a positive impact on their tenants, employees and even the larger community. We are thrilled to honor them with these awards.”
This is the second year that Livable Buckhead has recognized those in the Buckhead business community that have had a positive impact on the environment, economy and overall quality of life.
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. Highwoods Properties earned the award for its water conservation efforts at Monarch Center, Alliance Center One and Alliance Center Two. Most notably, Highwoods spearheaded the development of a system that collects storm water from all three Alliance Center office building and parking deck roofs and reuses it for irrigation purposes. Outdoor watering at the three buildings is now done without using any city water, reducing water utility costs. Highwoods also retrofitted their parking decks with LED lighting which reduced their energy consumption by 25 percent, and joined the Buckhead Recycles program to divert recyclable waste from landfills.
The Buckhead Mobility Champion award recognizes an employer that has demonstrated success in the development and implementation of a commute alternative program that aims to mitigate traffic congestion, reduce auto emissions and improve quality of life for their employees. Vacation Express, one of the largest tour operators in the Southeast, earned the award for motivating more than 20 percent of its employees to choose a clean commute and removing nearly 380,000 miles of vehicle traffic from Buckhead’s roads. The company pays the full cost of a monthly transit pass for its employees, encourages teleworking and ridesharing, hosts lunch-and-learns, and promotes Livable Buckhead commute incentives.
Livable Buckhead recently released the Buckhead Sustainability Action Plan which identifies strategies to increase the community’s sustainability in eight areas, including mobility and water.
“These awards are an important part of our sustainability work,” said Starling. “In addition to the elements you’d expect to find in a sustainability plan, ours outlines activities to help build a local culture of sustainability. Highlighting companies like Vacation Express and Highwoods Properties for their outstanding programs helps to achieve that and to encourage others to get involved as well.”
For more information about Livable Buckhead and the Buckhead Sustainability Action Plan, visit livablebuckhead.org.
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About Livable Buckhead
Livable Buckhead is a nonprofit organization that strives to ensure the long-term viability and prosperity of the Buckhead community. The organization achieves its mission by working cooperatively with individuals, public entities and private businesses to integrate sustainable strategies. Livable Buckhead implements programs related to greenspace, recycling, energy efficiency, commute alternatives, arts and culture, real estate development and land use. For more information about Livable Buckhead and its programs, visit livablebuckhead.org.
