By Hannah E. Jones

Sustainability is a word that’s often tossed around and can sometimes feel confusing and unattainable. But at the Southface Energy Institute‘s recent Sustainability in Action Roundtable, local energy experts worked to demystify the term.

“My favorite definition [of sustainability] means we’re living more lightly on the earth. Not that we’re perfect, but we’re better,” said Moderator Henry Slack, chief engineer of Slack Engineering.

On Friday, Aug. 25, Southface hosted a discussion about the latest innovations and technologies to make our homes and businesses more sustainable. The experts in clean energy led a conversation about best practices to tread lightly on the earth, while giving practical tips on ways to make buildings more efficient.

Speakers included Cynthia Curry, senior director of Smart Cities and Clean Tech Ecosystems with the Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Amelia Godfrey, project manager at Southface. The conversation was led by Slack, who was also Southface’s first treasurer. Attendees included representatives from local companies and organizations, along with interested residents. 

The program started off with a look at how Atlanta and Georgia measure up to the rest of the country, and Curry shared a few metrics that she said show that the city and state are leaders in the nation’s clean energy efforts. 

For example, earlier this year, the EPA ranked Atlanta as a metropolitan area with the third-most ENERGY STAR-certified buildings, with 376 buildings. Additionally, according to a 2023 report from Climate Power, Georgia has the highest dollar value of CleanTech projects in the U.S., attracting projects with a value of $15.27 billion.  

Curry also described Atlanta as an electric vehicle hub, with a “beautiful circular EV economy.” She pointed to local electric vehicle manufacturers, chip makers and companies…