Green Building Alliance Recognizes Phipps Conservatory with Green Building Excellence Award
For Immediate Release: Mon., Sept. 24
Contact: Julie LaBar | Director of Marketing and Communications
412/622-6915, ext. 3801 ǀ jlabar@phipps.conservatory.org
Green Building Alliance Recognizes Phipps Conservatory with Green Building Excellence Award
Pittsburgh’s glasshouse gem remains at the forefront of sustainable design in western Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, PA — Green Building Alliance recognized Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens at the Emerald Evening and GBA 25th Anniversary Awards held on Thurs., Sept. 20. In honor of their 25th anniversary, Green Building Alliance — one of western Pennsylvania’s leading nonprofit organizations in green building education, technical assistance and policy support — recognized 25 projects that have significantly advanced the region’s green building movement.
Phipps was named among the honorees for its continued commitment to sustainable building and design, serving as a real-world model of how we can all work together with nature to live healthier, better lives. Celebrating 125 years, Phipps demonstrates that people, plants, health, planet and beauty are inextricably interconnected, and that sustainable actions — from the construction of a green building to planting a raised-bed vegetable garden — are critical to ensuring these interconnections are harmonious, mutually beneficial and preserved for future generations.
The Center for Sustainable Landscapes at Phipps is one of the most advanced state-of-the-art buildings in the world and remains the first and only building to meet four of the highest green building certifications: Living Building Challenge®, LEED® Platinum, Four Stars Sustainable SITES™ and WELL® Building Platinum. From 2005 – 2016, Phipps reduced carbon emissions from heating, cooling and powering buildings by 56% per square foot, which is double the Paris Climate Agreement target of 26 – 28% by 2025. Since 2005, all electricity used at Phipps is produced onsite with solar and wind power or by purchasing renewable energy credits. Since 2010, all of the carbon dioxide emitted in order to heat the campus has been offset.
For more information on Phipps’ sustainability leadership and commitment, visit phipps.conservatory.org/green-innovation.
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About Green Building Alliance: Green Building Alliance (GBA) is a nonprofit organization that advances innovation in the built environment by empowering people to create environmentally, economically, and socially vibrant places. Founded in 1993, GBA is one of the oldest regional green building organizations in the United States, proudly serving Pittsburgh and the 26 counties of Western Pennsylvania, with stakeholders across the Mid-Atlantic, United States and the world.
About Phipps: Founded in 1893, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, PA is a green leader among public gardens with a mission to inspire and educate all with the beauty and importance of plants; to advance sustainability and promote human and environmental well-being through action and research; and to celebrate its historic glasshouse. Phipps commemorates its 125th anniversary throughout 2018, celebrating its historic past, vibrant present and exciting future ahead — including inspiring seasonal flower shows, community events, public programs and groundbreaking green innovation. Learn more at phipps.conservatory.org.
Photo © Paul g. Wiegman
