Pitt Celebrates Over 1 Million Square Feet of Certified Green Buildings
In early 2021, Pitt celebrated 15 LEED-certified spaces, topping 1.2 million square feet of certified green buildings, with more than more in the works.
In February 2021, Pitt added its 15th Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) certification for the renovation of the Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH), which earned LEED Silver. As part of the two-phase project, the GSPH Addition became LEED Certified in 2018.
This newest LEED certification brings Pitt to a total of 1.2 million square feet of LEED-certified space, with over a dozen more green building certifications in the works.
LEED is the most widely used green building rating system in the world, providing third-party validation of a building’s green design, construction, operations, and maintenance. Available for multiple types of buildings and communities, the LEED framework assists in the creation of healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement.
In 2005, the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine became the first University building in Pennsylvania to obtain a LEED Gold rating, and Pitt’s dedication to innovative green building design, construction, and operation has not stopped since. Sustainability is an integral part of the campus and institutional master plans and embedded into at least a dozen projects currently pursuing LEED certification, including the newly opened Petersen Sports Complex Addition and Renovation.
The Pitt Public Health renovation achieved LEED Silver under the LEED for Commercial Interiors standard. Green building strategies included renovating the existing Public Health building and Crabtree Hall by removing asbestos and replacing heating, ventilation, cooling, and electrical systems. Internal reconfiguration allowed for more collaboration space while responsibly managing energy and water and improving indoor environmental quality adjacent to a multitude of transit routes.