March 6, 2008 - Coke's "World of Coca-Cola" attraction, which opened in Atlanta last May as a "venue to showcase the complete story of the company and its brands," is now telling a greener story. The building was awarded a LEED Gold rating by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Along with recycled-content construction materials and energy-saving features, the building is equipped with low-flow water fixtures that reduce water consumption by 40% compared to standard facilities of similar size. Water use is a particularly high-profile environmental issue for the beverage company, which has worked to boost water efficiency despite rising sales volume.

Calling the World of Coca-Cola "a physical embodiment of the values of the Coca-Cola Company,” Greg Koch, Coke's director of global water stewardship, says the building's greener design lets the company "put [its environmental] ideals into action and share the results with millions of visitors.”