Solar

The completion of the LEED Silver Petersen Sports Complex (PSC) addition in 2022 added a white roof to the building to reduce heat gain alongside efficient indoor lighting and water fixtures. Because the building was designed and constructed “solar ready,” in 2024, PSC became the first Pittsburgh campus site to host new rooftop solar since 2012, marking the start of Pitt’s multi-year rollout of behind-the-meter rooftop solar arrays that directly power University buildings.  Rooftop solar creates free, renewable electricity from the sun and avoids massive losses of electricity traditionally associated with transmission and distribution.

Specifications:

• 68.4 kW array with 120 solar panels
• Behind-the-meter system feeding directly into Pitt’s Oakland power grid
• Generated 72,250 kWh of electricity in the first 12 months of operation, enough to power 7.5 homes.Installed in 2024. 

Check out real-time electricity production from this array.

• Installed in 2012, this array is for research purposes, including 18 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels at different tilts (25 degrees and 45 degrees) and positioned in 3 directions (East, South, and West). Since March 2022, it has been connected to a Swanson School of Engineering research picogrid and formerly produced ~4,000 kWh annually on average.
• Check out past real-time generation data of electricity from this array.

While pedestrian connections between David Lawrence and Wesley W. Posvar Halls are frequent, the two buildings’ rooftops are as well.  Over the past year, Schenley Quad residents and William Pitt Union visitors have had the opportunity to see rooftop solar panels be added to David Lawrence Hall, interconnected with those on Posvar Hall.  Even the circular roof over David Lawrence Hall’s large  120 and 121 classrooms now boasts rooftop solar.

Specifications:

• 205.2 kW array
• 360 panels
• Expected to produce 185,800 kWh annually, enough for 10.5 homes. 
   

Installed in Spring 2020 to serve the Pitt Energy GRID Institute’s Electric Power Technologies Laboratory research (in Pittsburgh’s Lower Hill District), a leased space in the Energy Innovation Center.

The multi-year Hillman Library renovation upgraded both library functionality and energy performance. The project just received a LEED Platinum designation, celebrating its efficient lighting, upgraded mechanical systems, new insulated windows, and green roof patios. A 133.7 kW rooftop solar array generates renewable electricity at the core of campus.

Specifications:

• 133.7 kW array
• 242 panels
• Expected to generate 168,800 kWh annually, enough to power 9.8 homes. 

As the largest all academic building on campus, Posvar Hall now sports a 1,080-panel rooftop solar array. This new renewable electricity solidifies Posvar Hall’s status as a Pitt energy hub, given that the building also houses a chilled water plant and electrical substation, both supporting campus-wide energy use operations while integrating sustainable technologies. Posvar’s solar array complements numerous other sustainability features, including student-designed pollinator gardens, solar-powered picnic tables, and an anaerobic digester that converts organic materials to fertilizer.

Specifications:

• 615.6 kW array comprised of 1,080 solar panels
• Expected to generate 712,128 kWh, enough for 40.2 homes.
• Largest rooftop solar array possible on the Pittsburgh campus. 

In 2024, Ruskin Hall was Pitt’s first residence hall to feature rooftop solar panels. The 240-panel array provides roughly 15% of the building’s electricity, the equivalent of common areas such as lounges, the fitness center, and hallways. By generating renewable electricity on-site, the solar array reduces reliance on grid power and avoids energy losses due to transmission and distribution.

Specifications:

• 136.8 kW array composed of 240 solar panels
• Provides ~15% of the building’s electricity (nearly 156,000 kWh annually) 

The new BioForge building at Hazelwood Green will house a state-of-the-art biomanufacturing facility and spark novel cell and gene treatments and therapies from concept to market.  Pursuing LEED Gold certification or better, BioForge is located on a historic industrial brownfield site and helping continue Pittsburgh’s transformation into a sustainable, equitable, and inclusive model for urban development.  With the building shell is nearing completion, the rooftop solar is nearly operational.

Specifications:

• 436.7 kW comprised of 794 solar panels
• Expected to generate 502,100 kWh annually, enough to power 52.2 homes. 

The new 10-story building at Fifth Avenue and Halket Street will consolidate the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences under one roof and features modern teaching and clinical facilities, wet labs, and the Pitt EDGE center. Designed with energy efficiency in mind, the building includes efficiency lighting and mechanical systems, a rooftop solar array, outdoor patios, an indoor bike room, and electric vehicle charging.  

Specifications:

• 203.6 kW array of 351 individual solar panels
• Expected to generate 267,400 kWh annually. 

The new Recreation and Wellness Center added 270,000 square feet of health and wellness space to campus. Pursuing a LEED Gold certification, the building integrates energy efficient systems, biophilic design, rainwater collection, bird-friendly glass, and an extensive green roof that can be seen from upper campus. A 199 kW rooftop solar array complements these features, generating renewable electricity while supporting the center’s holistic approach to health, wellness, and sustainability.

Specifications:

• 199 kW array
• Rooftop solar covering 28,000 square feet

Following the 2023 completion of the Scaife Hall addition and renovation, the building was solar ready.  Pursuing LEED certification, the addition features natural light, a very efficiency building envelope, and efficient energy and water systems,

Specifications:

• 134.5 kW comprised of 244 solar panels
• Expected to generate 158,400 kWh annually

Installed in 2022, this array has a student-designed dashboard in design and was funded by Met-Ed/Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund. Check out real-time electricity production from this array.

Installed in 2014, this Northwest Pennsylvania rooftop solar array produces ~2,500 kWh annually.