Environmentally Friendly Design Earns New World Of Coca-Cola "Green" Status

The Coca-Cola Company today announced that the new World of Coca-Cola® achieved official “green” status as an environmentally friendly building. The attraction, which opened in downtown Atlanta in May 2007 as a venue to showcase the complete story of the Company and its brands, was awarded a “Gold” rating by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

“The World of Coca-Cola is a physical embodiment of the values of The Coca-Cola Company,” said Greg Koch, director Global Water Stewardship at The Coca-Cola Company. “Every aspect of the design, construction and operation was carefully planned to reflect our commitment to the environment. This gave us the opportunity to put these ideals into action and share the results with millions of visitors.”

The World of Coca-Cola adheres to the U.S. Green Building Council’s standards for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®), which encourages development of “high-performance, sustainable buildings” through an emphasis on energy and water efficiency, recycling, reuse of resources and waste reduction. The building is one of only a handful in the state of Georgia to achieve LEED certification.

About 20 percent of the construction materials for the building were of a recycled or “green” nature, including environmentally friendly bamboo and recycled rubber flooring. Recycled polyethelene terephthalate (PET) – the key ingredient in plastic beverage containers – was used in the carpeting. Along with all the recycled matter that went into the building, almost 90 percent of construction waste from the project was salvaged, reused or recycled.

The landscaping features in and around the World of Coca-Cola include light-colored paving, vegetated grounds and a reflective roof to reduce the urban “heat island effect.” Inside, the air quality has been enhanced through low-emission paints, adhesives, sealants and carpeting.

The entire building was designed to optimize energy efficiency and is 30 percent more energy efficient than standards required by the Georgia state energy code. The attraction also uses 40 percent less water than standard buildings as every faucet and water fixture has been fitted for lowering water consumption. Additionally, the drink cups in the popular “Taste It” lounge, where Coca-Cola beverages are served, are produced from 100-percent compostable cornstarch.

“The Coca-Cola Company is to be congratulated for achieving a LEED Gold rating for its new corporate attraction,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and Founding Chairman of U.S. Green Building Council. “The certification of the World of Coca-Cola sends a message that The Coca-Cola Company cares about the health of its building visitors and users and will serve as an inspiration for others.”

The new World of Coca-Cola is located at Pemberton Place, next door to the Georgia Aquarium, which opened in November 2005 on land donated by The Coca-Cola Company. The company also donated 2.5 acres to the City of Atlanta for a Civil and Human Rights Center to be located on the same site. Pemberton Place is within walking distance to a host of neighboring attractions, including Centennial Olympic Park. More information is available at www.worldofcoca-cola.com.