Pitt Dining Halls Rank Gold in Sustainable Pittsburgh Restaurant Assessment
Both Market Central and the Perch at Sutherland earned their designations as Sustainable Pittsburgh Restaurants by demonstrating a commitment to take economic, environmental, and social actions that benefit the region. The Sustainable Pittsburgh Restaurant assessment consists of 149 sustainable actions from seven broad areas of focus.
University of Pittsburgh to Purchase Local Hydropower
Allegheny River hydroelectric plant will supply 25% of campus electricity needs, and advance renewable energy and emissions reduction goals.
Pitt Named Bronze Bicycle Friendly University for First Time
For the first time, the University of Pittsburgh has been honored by The League of American Bicyclists with a Bronze Bicycle Friendly University (BFU) award in recognition of the institution’s achievements in promoting and enabling safe, accessible bicycling on campus.
Washington, DC: The League of American Bicyclists has honored the University of Pittsburgh with a Bronze Bicycle Friendly University (BFU) award in recognition of the institution’s achievements in promoting and enabling safe, accessible bicycling on campus.
The Aquaponics Project, a Pitt student group Wins Big
The Aquaponics Project, a University of Pitt student group focused on sustainable urban farming won a grand prize of $10,000 and a Ford Van at the 10th Annual Ford College Community Challenge
New Glass Could Be Future of Solar Energy
Associate professor Paul Leu is researching new technology that could improve solar panels.
Paul Leu, an associate professor in industrial engineering at Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering, is working to develop improved solar panel technology that would lead to more efficient use of energy.
The problem resides in the type of glass used to make solar panels. With current technology, this glass allows 4 percent of sunlight hitting a panel to be reflected back into the atmosphere, leading to lost energy and decreased efficiency.
Project Aims to Recycle the Unrecyclable
Pitt Professors are looking to create a recyclable material that can replace unrecyclable plastic packaging.
Each year, more than 8 million tons of plastics, ranging from newly dumped containers to broken down microparticles, enter the ocean, forming large “garbage patches,” according to the nonprofit Plastic Oceans Foundation.
Water Use Reduction Milestone Achieved
Pitt achieved Pitt’s Sustainability Plan goal to reduce campus-wide water use 3% by 2020 from a 2017 baseline.
The Pitt Sustainability Plan designates over 60 goals for the University to accomplish — and in 2020 another one was achieved!
Set in 2018, one of the University’s “Water Systems” goals was to reduce campus-wide water use 3% by 2020 from the 2017 baseline. At the time, campus-wide water use was not decreasing on par with the University’s larger 2030 Challenge goal to reduce water use 50% below regional baselines by the year 2030.
University of Pittsburgh Wins 2017 Sustainable Pittsburgh Green Workplace Challenge
Sustainable Pittsburgh revealed the top scorers of the 2016-2017 Pittsburgh Green Workplace Challenge (GWC) during an evening celebration at the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. A yearlong, friendly competition, the GWC enables businesses, nonprofits, municipalities, and universities to track and measure improvements in energy, water, waste, and transportation. More than 90 employers from throughout southwestern Pennsylvania completed the competition, twice the number from the previous GWC.
Congratulations to the Top Scorers!
Pitt Unveils Sustainable Engineering Master’s Program
Answering a demand for professional programs that help students find sustainable solutions to regional and global engineering issues, the University of Pittsburgh this summer has designed a new Master of Science in Sustainable Engineering (MSSE) program. The major and professional degree will utilize a systems-based approach to help students identify and address complex environmental and socioeconomic problems.