2. 2
About the Pittsburgh 2030 District
The Pittsburgh 2030 District is a public-private-nonprofit partnership of building
owners and managers, community stakeholders, and resource partners convened
by Green Building Alliance (GBA) who are committed to the aggressive building
performance goals of the 2030 Challenge. This collaborative, which collectively
represents 436 buildings and over 65 million square feet of real estate in
Downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland, is actively working to achieve 50% reductions
(below baseline) in energy use, water consumption, and transportation emissions by
the year 2030.
Pittsburgh 2030 District Progress Report
High performance buildings have proven track records of simultaneously increasing
business and property profitability, enhancing asset values, reducing environmental
impacts, and improving occupant health. This report summarizes the Pittsburgh
2030 District’s aggregated progress during 2014 toward attaining the bold building
performance goals being pursued by its participants. It includes the following:
• Breakdown of property characteristics in the Pittsburgh 2030 District;
• Summary of 2030 District expansions into Oakland and The Bluff;
• Energy use reductions for Downtown and Oakland;
• Water use benchmarking for Downtown;
• Public disclosure of energy use in buildings owned by the City of Pittsburgh,
Allegheny County, Sports and Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny
County (SEA), and Stadium Authority of the City of Pittsburgh;
• Updates on other 2030 District efforts, including a transportation emissions
baseline and progress toward development of a District-wide indoor air
quality protocol.
6.3%
10% 20% 35%
10% 20% 35%
10%*
In Progress
10% 20% 35%
Figure 1. District Progress (as of year end 2014).
About GBA
Green Building Alliance (GBA)
is a nonprofit organization
that inspires the creation
of healthy, high-performing
places for everyone. One of the
oldest regional green build-
ing organizations, GBA was
founded in 1993 and is a U.S.
Green Building Council chapter.
Headquartered in Pittsburgh
and serving the 26 counties of
Western Pennsylvania, GBA’s
main initiatives include a
Knowledge Network, Policy and
Advocacy efforts, Pittsburgh
2030 District, and Green &
Healthy Schools Academy.
*Downtown Only Baseline Percentage
Figure 1.
3. 3
Importance of Demand Reduction
Reducing Western Pennsylvania’s energy demand is a critical component of our
regional energy policy as such efforts lessen the need for new power plants, even
as existing ones close. District-wide energy use reduction helps decrease future
infrastructure costs while dramatically improving air quality and creating space for
regional growth. In addition to easing stress on the existing electricity grid, energy
use reduction on a large scale permits greater grid flexibility and smooths the way for
more widespread use and installation of renewable energy.
Similarly, lessening the demand for potable water is a key part of solving the
region’s water and sewer infrastructure challenges. There is a direct correlation
between substantially reducing potable water consumption in individual buildings
and increasing capacity in the combined sewer system, thus allowing it to more
easily handle major stormwater events—and increasing the reliability of future green
stormwater infrastructure investments.
90%
100%
National Median Average
50% Reduction
2025 2030
ajor Renovations
10%
35%
50%
National Median
Worst Possible 2015 2020 2025 2030
Targets for Existing Buildings
Energy
Consumption
Water
Consumption &
Transportation
Emissions
Figure 3. Committed Vs. Uncommitted Sq Ft 2014.
Reporting vs.
Aggregated
Out of the 436 properties
in Downtown and Oakland
committed to sharing building
performance data, 87% (380)
reported energy consumption
and 77% (335) are included in
this report ; of the 157
committed Downtown build-
ings, 96 (61%) reported water
data, with 91 (58%) included
here. In most cases, the
decision to exclude a property
was based on incomplete data
availability or inaccurate
baselines (due to nonstandard
use types). GBA continues to
work with all properties to en-
sure maximum commitment,
reporting, and inclusion.
Total District Sq Ft
96,691,778
Committed Sq Ft
66,035,349
Reported Sq Ft
62,226,421
68% Committed Sq Ft
32% Uncommitted Sq Ft
Figure 2. 2030 Challenge Goals.
70%
80%
90%
100%
National Median Average
50% Reduction
National Median 2015 2020 2025 2030
Targets for New Buildings & Major Renovations
W
Energy
Consumption
Water
Consumption &
Transportation
Emissions
70%
80%
90%
100%
National Median Average
50% Reduction
National Median 2015 2020 2025 2030
Targets for New Buildings & Major Renovations
Wor
Energy
Consumption
Water
Consumption &
Transportation
Emissions
70%
80%
90%
100%
National Median Average
50% Reduction
National Median 2015 2020 2025 2030
Targets for New Buildings & Major Renovations
Wor
Energy
Consumption
Water
Consumption &
Transportation
Emissions
4. 4
District Expansion
In 2014 and early 2015, the Pittsburgh 2030 District chose
to undertake two boundary expansions, as described
below. Properties within these areas reported for the 2014
performance year.
OAKLAND
In August 2014, the Pittsburgh 2030 District welcomed
22 Founding Property Partners and five new Community
Partners in Oakland. With these commitments, Pittsburgh
became the first 2030 District in the nation to have two
separate neighborhoods in the same city focused on
reaching 2030 Challenge goals. The District’s Oakland
boundary now includes 25 Property Partners who have
committed 279 buildings totaling 27.5 million square
feet—85% of Oakland’s square footage and 68.5% of its
buildings.
Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood is the third-largest
commercial business district in Pennsylvania. As a major
education, healthcare, and cultural center, it offers a
tremendous opportunity to expand the impact of the
Pittsburgh 2030 District. Along with Downtown, Oakland
properties are undertaking major efficiency and operational
improvements to buildings of all types and sizes and
collaborating to reach 2030 Challenge goals.
THE BLUFF
Though announced in January 2015, the Pittsburgh 2030
District’s expansion of its Downtown boundary to embrace
“The Bluff” was anticipated in 2014—and all committed
properties are included in this report.
Connected to Downtown and adjacent to the already-
committed Lower Hill redevelopment, The Bluff was a natural
complement to the District’s Downtown boundary once its
two primary Property Partners (Duquesne University and
UPMC Mercy) were committed. What initially resulted in an
additional 4.9 million built square feet to the District has now
grown to 5.7 million square feet.
College/University
5% Courthouse
3%
Hospital
3%
Mixed Use
2%
Multifamily Housing
3%
Office
49%
Other
4%
Parking
12%
Public Assembly
6%
Residence Hall/ Dormitory
4%
Sports Arena
9%
College/University
28%
Hospital
10%
Laboratory
15%
Medical Office
2%
Mixed Use
2%
Office
5%
Other
7%
Parking
10%
Public Assembly
5%
Residence Hall/Dormitory
13%
Sports Arena
3%
College/University
5% Courthouse
3%
Hospital
3%
Mixed Use
2%
Multifamily Housing
3%
Office
49%
Other
4%
Parking
12%
Public Assembly
6%
Residence Hall/ Dormitory
4%
Sports Arena
9%
College/University
28%
Hospital
10%
Laboratory
15%
Medical Office
2%
Mixed Use
2%
Office
5%
Other
7%
Parking
10%
Public Assembly
5%
Residence Hall/Dormitory
13%
Sports Arena
3%
Multifamily Housing
3%
Office
49%
College/University
14%
Courthouse
2% Hospital
6%
Mixed Use
2%
Multifamily Housing
1%
Office
30%Other
5%
Parking
12%
Public Assembly
6%
Residence Hall/ Dormitory
8%
Sports Arena
7%
Laboratory/Medical
7%
College/University
28%
Hospital
10%
Laboratory
15%
Medical Office
2%
Mixed Use
2%
rmitory
Sports Arena
3%
Figure 4. Total Square Feet By Building Classification.
Figure 5. Downtown Square Feet By Building Classification.
Figure 6. Oakland Square Feet By Building Classification.
5. 5
District Performance Measures
In addition to committing to specific energy, water, and transportation emission
reduction goals, property owners and managers agree to share annual building
performance information with GBA, who then aggregates this individual data to
provide a summary of District-wide progress toward each goal.
ENERGY
Existing buildings participating in the Pittsburgh 2030 District are committed to a 50%
reduction in energy consumption (below baseline) by the year 2030, as measured
by the national median site energy use intensity (EUI) set by the 2003 Commercial
Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS).1
Energy demand reduction targets for
new construction and major renovations are more aggressive, with a goal of carbon
neutrality by 2030.
In accordance with the international 2030 Challenge, the Pittsburgh 2030 District
includes incremental targets, beginning with a 10% energy reduction by 2015 (70%
for new construction). GBA works with each participating property to establish a
property-specific EUI baseline that takes into account current use types, operational
characteristics (operating hours, occupancy, etc.), and Pittsburgh’s climate region.
For the 2014 performance year, 380 properties (87% of those participating) shared
their annual energy consumption. Of these, 335 were aggregated to provide a
snapshotofPittsburgh2030Districtprogresstowardtheincremental2030Challenge
energy reduction goal of 10% below baseline by 2015. That total represents 77% of
participating properties (94% by square footage). Though they reported 2014 energy
consumption to GBA, 45 reporting properties are not included in the summaries
below for one of two reasons: 1) inaccurate baseline due to nonstandard use type
OR 2) data inconsistencies (i.e., gaps in 2014 utility consumption, missing tenant
information, or unavailability of all utility meters).
Figure 7 summarizes the Pittsburgh 2030 District’s 2014 progress toward its energy
reduction goals and includes 335 buildings in both the Downtown and Oakland
boundaries. The District-wide average site EUI is the total site energy consumption
reported (7,505,216,716 kBtu) divided by the total square footage of aggregated
Defining EUI
Just as cars gauge perfor-
mance with mpg (miles per
gallon) and baseball pitchers
use ERA (earned run aver-
age), buildings can utilize
energy use intensity (EUI) as
a performance metric. EUI
measures a building’s annual
energy use normalized by its
gross square footage.
A snapshot of building
performance over one year’s
time, EUI can help a building
benchmark against itself
and others, especially as
improvements are made. The
Pittsburgh 2030 District’s en-
ergy baseline is the national
median site EUI. Site energy is
the amount of energy shown
on a building’s utility bills.
60.4%
58.4 Million
33.7%
32.6 Million
5.9% 5.7 Million
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2014 District Growth
Millions
Pittsburgh 2030
District Size:
Total Square Feet
Downtown
Oakland Expansion
Bluff Expansion
1
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2008). 2003 Commercial Building Energy Consumption
Survey (CBECS). http://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/data/2003.
120.6
EUI
128.7
EUI
-6.3% -10%
-20%
-35%
-50%
0.00
20.00
40.00
60.00
80.00
100.00
120.00
140.00
CBECS 2003
Baseline
2014 2015 2020 2025 2030
SITEEUI(KBUT/FT²)
YEAR
Pittsburgh 2030 District: 2014 Energy Percent
Reduction
District Average Site EUI 2030 District Goals National Median Average
Pittsburgh 2030 District: 2014 Downtown
Water Performance
Figure 7.
6. 6
Property Partners
808 Penn Lofts, LLC
3609 Forbes Oakland
Partners LP (IGA on Forbes)
ALCO Parking
Alcoa
Allegheny County
Ansaldo STS
ALSAB, LP + Blush
Bellefield Presbyterian Church
Benedum Trees Condominiums
Association
BNY Mellon
Braskem America
Bridgeside Point II
Carlyle Condominiums
Carlow University
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Museums
Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
CBRE, Inc.
Central Catholic High School
City of Pittsburgh
Clayfisher Studios
Dollar Bank
Duquesne University
Epiphany R.C. Church
Fairmont Pittsburgh
First Presbyterian Church
Forwood Group
Gateway Towers Condominium
General Nutrition Centers
General Services Administration
Gidas Flowers
Healthcare Trust of America
Henderson Brothers
Highmark
Highwoods Properties
Iron City Ventures
JDP Properties + Glenmore Ave
Associates
Jones Lang LaSalle
Meyer’s Management
Murland Associates LLP
Neighborhood Legal Services
Newmark Grubb Knight Frank
no wall productions & we do
property management, inc.
Oakland Real Estate Corp.
Oakland Planning and
Development Corp. (OPDC)
Oxford Development Company
Peter’s Pub
Penn Ave Renaissance
Phipps Conservatory and
Botanical Gardens
Pittsburgh Athletic Association
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
Pittsburgh Gateways
Pittsburgh Parking Authority
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Pirates
Planned Parenthood
PNC Financial Services Group
Point Park University
PSSI/Pittsburgh Steelers
Rodef Shalom Congregation
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial
Hall & Museum Trust, Inc.
Specialty Luggage
Sports & Exhibition Authority of
Pittsburgh & Allegheny County
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox
Cathedral
St. Paul Catholic Church
Tiversa
Trek Development Group
University of Pittsburgh
UPMC
Drs. Werrin & Gruendel PC
WQED Multimedia
Winghart’s Whiskey & Burger
Bar
Winthrop Management LP
Wyndham Pittsburgh University
Center
7. 7
Community Partners
Resource Partners
Allegheny County, County
Executive, Rich Fitzgerald
Allegheny Conference on
Community Development
AIA Pittsburgh
Bike Pittsburgh
Building Owners & Managers
Association of Pittsburgh
Citizens for Pennsylvania’s
Future
City of Pittsburgh, Office of the
Mayor, William Peduto
Conservation Consultants, Inc.
Design Center
Green Building Alliance
Group Against Smog and
Pollution
International Facility
Management Association,
Pittsburgh Chapter
International Union of Operating
Engineers, Local 95
Master Builders Association of
Western Pennsylvania
NAIOP Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Climate Initiative
Pittsburgh Downtown CDC
Pittsburgh Downtown
Partnership
Pittsburgh Green Innovators
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Oakland Business Improvement
District (OBID)
Oakland Planning and
Development Corp. (OPDC)
The Oakland Task Force
Oakland Transportation
Management Association
(OTMA)
Riverlife Pittsburgh
Student Conservation
Association
Sustainable Pittsburgh
VisitPittsburgh
Encentiv Energy
Architecture 2030
Direct Energy Business
Duquesne Light Watt
Choices
Energlogics Networks
Pittsburgh Water & Sewer
Authority
Southwestern Pennsylvania
Commission
Urban Redevelopment
Authority of Pittsburgh
D I S T R I C T S
DOWNTOWN - OAKLAND
8. 8
properties (62,226,421 sq. ft.). This results in an average site EUI of 120.6, which
represents a -6.3% reduction from the baseline—in pursuit of the 2015 reduction
goal of -10%. At 503,295,273 kBtu avoided, this reduction is equivalent to removing
5,662 homes’ annual energy use or comparable to eliminating the annual energy
usage of Bloomfield.
Looking at the two District boundaries individually, Figure 8 illustrates Downtown’s
2014 energy performance. In its second year of energy reporting, Downtown
surpassed the 2030 Challenge’s incremental 2015 goal with a reduction of
17.9% below baseline. Figure 9 demonstrates the Oakland boundary’s first year
of aggregated energy reporting. Only six months beyond its official launch, 219
buildings are included in the aggregated District performance of 2.4% above the
baseline. With a significantly higher energy use intensity baseline (due mainly to
building use types in that boundary), Oakland has the potential for significant energy
reductions prior to 2030.
77.5
EUI
94.4
EUI
-12%
-17.9%
-10%
-20%
-35%
-50%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
CBECS 2003
Baseline
2013 2014 2015 2020 2025 2030
SITEEUI(KBTU/FT²
YEAR
Pittsburgh 2030 District: 2014 Downtown
Energy Performance
District Average Site EUI 2030 District Goals National Median Average
180.7
EUI
177
EUI
+2.4%
-10%
-20%
-35%
-50%
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
CBECS 2003
Baseline
2014 2015 2020 2025 2030
SITEEUI(KBUT/FT²)
YEAR
Pittsburgh 2030 District: 2014 Oakland
Energy Performance
District Average Site EUI 2030 District Goals National Median Average
77.5
EUI
94.4
EUI
-12%
-17.9%
-10%
-20%
-35%
-50%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
CBECS 2003
Baseline
2013 2014 2015 2020 2025 2030
SITEEUI(KBTU/FT²
YEAR
Pittsburgh 2030 District: 2014 Downtown
Energy Performance
District Average Site EUI 2030 District Goals National Median Average
180.7
EUI
177
EUI
+2.4%
-10%
-20%
-35%
-50%
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
CBECS 2003
Baseline
2014 2015 2020 2025 2030
SITEEUI(KBUT/FT²)
YEAR
Pittsburgh 2030 District: 2014 Oakland
Energy Performance
District Average Site EUI 2030 District Goals National Median Average
Figure 8.
Figure 9.
9. 9
Small
Commercial
Nationally, 90% of commercial
buildings are small (<50,000
sq. ft.) and consume 20% of
all energy in the U.S.2
Through
a U.S. Department of Energy
grant, GBA engages 12 small
commercial properties as
Demonstration Partners, each
of whom are targeting a 20%
reduction in energy use per
property in 2015. These part-
ners include:
• Glenmore Avenue
Associates/JDM Properties
• Neighborhood Legal
Services
• Oakland Real Estate with
Revv Oakland, NoWait,
• Pamela’s, and Dave &
Andy’s Homemade Ice
Cream
• 3609 Forbes Oakland
Partners (Strand Building)
• TREK Development
• Werrin + Gruendel
Property Group
• Winghart’s Whiskey &
Burger Bar
Through these efforts, par-
ticipants’ experiences will be
shared locally and with the
national 2030 District Network
to inform and inspire other
small commercial properties
here and across the country
as they take measureable
actions to become more
energy efficient.
-60%
-50%
-40%
-30%
-20%
-10%
0%
10%
20%
30%
Offices >200,000 Sq Ft: 2014 Energy Performance
Office Site EUI vs. 2030 Baseline 2015 Goal 2030 Goal
-60%
-40%
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
College/University: 2014 Energy Performance
College/University Site EUI vs. 2030 Baseline 2015 Goal 2030 Goal
-60%
-50%
-40%
-30%
-20%
-10%
0%
10%
20%
30%
Offices >200,000 Sq Ft: 2014 Energy Performance
Office Site EUI vs. 2030 Baseline 2015 Goal 2030 Goal
-60%
-40%
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
College/University: 2014 Energy Performance
College/University Site EUI vs. 2030 Baseline 2015 Goal 2030 Goal
Figure 10.
Figure 11.
Of the 17 primary property use types included in this 2014 report, two of the largest
cohorts are office buildings and college/university structures. The large number of
reporting properties in these categories allows for more detailed comparisons of
building energy performance.
There are 25 office buildings larger than 200,000 sq. ft. (including government
offices) reporting in the District. Figure 10 illustrates that, as a group, office
buildings are making strong progress toward the 50% energy reduction goals. While
the average site EUI for large office properties is 87 (26% below baseline), 80%
are operating at or below their 2015 reduction targets (-10%) and 56% are beyond
their 2020 energy reduction targets (-20%). Twelve percent of reporting large office
buildings are performing worse than (above) their national median average.
With the addition of Oakland, college/university structures became the largest
cohort in the Pittsburgh 2030 District, representing over 60 committed buildings
District-wide. Figure 11 depicts their wide performance range, resulting in a cohort
average of 10% above baseline. Many of these buildings only committed to 2030
2
U.S. Department of Energy. (2013). Energy Department Invests to Save Small Buildings Money by
Saving Energy. www.energy.gov/articles/energy-department-invests-save-small-buildings-money-saving-
energy.
10. City, County, SEA, & Stadium Authority
2014 Performance Disclosure
Participation and reporting in the Pittsburgh 2030 District is voluntary,
with properties making progress at their own pace. Each building is
different and every potential improvement decision is at the discretion
of the individual property owner. Starting with the 2014 performance
year, the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Sports and Exhibition
Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County (SEA), and Stadium
Authority of the City of Pittsburgh have agreed to publicly disclose the
performance of their buildings within the District. Though mandatory
elsewhere in the United States (in 11 cities, two states, and one
county), this public building performance disclosure is the first of its
kind in Pittsburgh.
David L. Lawrence Convention Center
Sports & Exhibition Authority
1,207,700 ft2
Convention Center
67.1 Site EUI
90.2 National Median Baseline
26,881,985 kBtu left to -50%
-25%
Performance
Against
Baseline
Municipal Courts Building
City of Pittsburgh
50,000 ft2
Courthouse
102.4 Site EUI
81.7 National Median Baseline
3,079,608 kBtu left to -50%
+29%
Performance
Against
Baseline
Courthouse
Allegheny County
223,901 ft2
Courthouse
114.1 Site EUI
131.6 National Median Baseline
26,881,985 kBtu left to -50%
-9%
Performance
Against
Baseline
County Jail
Allegheny County
990,000 ft2
Prison/Incarceration
78.1 Site EUI
84.3 National Median Baseline
35,543,412 kBtu left to -50%
-6%
Performance
Against
Baseline
Family Court Division
Allegheny County
130,800 ft2
Courthouse
173.1 Site EUI
111.5 National Median Baseline
15,345,913 kBtu left to -50%
+57%
Performance
Against
Baseline
STD Clinic
Allegheny County
16,335 ft2
Medical Office
173.6 Site EUI
124.8 National Median Baseline
1,815,462 kBtu left to -50%
+46%
Performance
Against
Baseline
County Office Building
Allegheny County / City of Pittsburgh
259,150 ft2
Office
102.3 Site EUI
115.5 National Median Baseline
11,532,271 kBtu left to -50%
-9%
Performance
Against
Baseline
City County Building
Allegheny County
609,420 ft2
Office
57.6 Site EUI
113.2 National Median Baseline
596,703 kBtu left to -50%
-47%
Performance
Against
Baseline
Medic 14/ Rescue 2
City of Pittsburgh
15,780 ft2
Fire Station
43.4 Site EUI
88.5 National Median Baseline
13,307 kBtu left to -50%
-48%
Performance
Against
Baseline
North Shore Garage
Sports & Exhibition Authority
374,981 ft2
Parking
12.3 Site EUI
18.8 National Median Baseline
1,103,229 kBtu left to -50%
-34%
Performance
Against
Baseline
OAKLAND DETAIL MAP
2015 Incremental Goal = -10%
West General Robinson St. Garage
Stadium Authority
612,000 ft2
Parking
4.7 Site EUI
9.3 National Median Baseline
45,182 kBtu left to -50%
-49%
Performance
Against
Baseline
11. 12
3
For the 2014 performance year, the Pittsburgh 2030 District chose to use climate-specific bench-
marks based on 139 records from Labs21. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. (2015). Labs21
Benchmarking Tool. http://labs21benchmarking.lbl.gov. Accessed April 2015.
4
Green Building Alliance. (2015). Pittsburgh 2030 District Water Baseline. February 2015.
www.go-gba.org/pittsburgh-2030-district-releases-water-baseline-report.
Breathe Project:
Air Quality Nexus
GBA is proud to support
Breathe Project efforts to
achieve clean air in South-
western Pennsylvania. Despite
decades of improvement, air
quality in the Pittsburgh region
still ranks among the worst in
the nation; the area is not in
attainment of federal stan-
dards for ground-level ozone,
fine particulate matter, and
sulfur dioxide.
Dramatic reductions in en-
ergy and water consumption
(including those promoted by
the Pittsburgh 2030 District)
have direct and indirect
benefits to regional air quality.
A decrease in consumption of
power generated from fossil
fuels results in better outdoor
air quality. Achievement of
the Pittsburgh 2030 District’s
50% transportation emission
reduction goals will directly
correlate to a significant de-
crease in air pollution.
Challenge goals in the latter half of 2014, thus affording a great opportunity for
energy reductions in the upcoming 15 years.
District-wide, laboratories have the highest site EUI—an average of 373 kBtu/sq. ft—
and represent over 7% of the committed square footage. This large site EUI is triple
that of a large office building, demonstrating how building use type dramatically
affects both building energy use and national comparison baselines. As shown in
Figure 12, the aggregated 2014 performance of laboratories in the District is 6.4%
below baseline.3
WATER
Known for its three rivers, Pittsburgh is built on and surrounded by water. As a
result, Pittsburghers are very conscious about where their water comes from, where
it’s treated, how it’s conveyed, and where it goes after it enters the drain. While
stormwater and combined sewer overflows are of prime importance to the region
today, the ongoing quality of Pittsburgh’s water and its watershed is something the
region does not take for granted—especially as portions of the country experience
water crises of varying severity and frequency.
Unlike energy, there is no national water consumption average for existing buildings.
From 2012 through 2014, GBA worked with the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority
(PWSA) to establish a District water baseline for Downtown Pittsburgh using historic
water consumption information. The existing building targets for water consumption
mirror those for energy—a 50% reduction by the year 2030, with an interim target
of a 10% reduction by 2015. New construction and major renovation projects are
committed to an immediate 50% reduction from the District average.
In 2014, the Pittsburgh 2030 District published its water baseline for Downtown,
estimating that baseline buildings would use 1.15 billion gallons of water annually
and providing water use intensities (WUI) for 12 different use types.4
Because a
baseline for comparison now exists, the District is able to report water consumption
data for the first time in this report.
https://gbapgh-
my.sharepoint.com/personal/isaacs_gbapgh_org/Documents/2030%20Challenge%20Graph%20updated.xlsx
?web=1
-60%
-40%
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Laboratory: 2014 Energy Performance
Laboratory Site EUI vs. 2030 Baseline 2015 Goal 2030 Goal
Figure 12
12. 13
Overall, the -10% reduction
equates to 52,975,205 gallons
of water or 362 homes’ annual
water usage.
Overall, the -10% reduction
equates to 52,975,205 gallons
of water or 362 homes’ annual
water usage.
13. 14
Water performance from 96 Downtown buildings (representing 80% of Downtown
square footage) was reported. The District-wide average WUI is the total site water
consumption reported (475,834,400 gallons) divided by the total square footage of
reporting properties (30,913,981 sq. ft.). As shown in Figure 13, this results in a -10%
reduction from the baseline, putting the District exactly at its 2015 reduction goal.
With a strong push for water performance metrics in 2014, over 75% of the committed
Downtown square feet is aggregated into the -10% reduction. Office buildings over
100,000 square feet represent 28% of reporting properties and contribute a -20%
reduction to the aggregated District performance. Overall, the -10% reduction equates
to 52,975,205 gallons of water—or 362 homes’ annual water usage (assuming 400
gallons/home/day).
Impact
District Energy Performance: -6.3% reduction from the baseline
503,295,273 kBtu saved, equivalent to:
• Removing 5,562 homes annual energy use, or
• 13,064 passenger vehicles from the road, or
• CO2 emissions from burning 144,318 barrels of oil
Downtown District water performance: -10% reduction from the baseline
52,975,205 gallons saved, equivalent to:
• 362 homes’ annual water use, or
• 725 Point State Park fountains, or
• 1,292,078 load of laundry
Other District Goals
In 2015, the Pittsburgh 2030 District will continue working with existing and new
partners to commit to, report on, and move toward their 2030 reduction goals. As
part of this process, GBA will revise the Pittsburgh 2030 District Water Baseline
0.00
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CBECS 2003
Baseline
2014 2015 2020 2025 2030
SIT
YEAR
15.4
WUI
17.1
WUI
-10.0% -10%
-20%
-35%
-50%
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
12.0
14.0
16.0
18.0
CBECS 2003
Baseline
2014 2015 2020 2025 2030
WUI(GALLONS/FT²)
YEAR
Pittsburgh 2030 District: 2014 Downtown
Water Performance
District Average Site WUI 2030 District Goal Downtown Pittsburgh Water Baseline
Figure 13
14. 15
to incorporate Oakland buildings by year’s end. In addition to energy and water
benchmarks, the District is pursuing a 50% reduction in transportation emissions and
the development of an indoor air quality measurement protocol.
TRANSPORTATION
Along with the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), GBA will create a
Pittsburgh 2030 District: Downtown transportation emissions baseline in mid-2015.
This modeled baseline will establish an average mode split and associated air
emissions from commuter transportation to and from Downtown Pittsburgh. It will be
based on SPC’s “Regional Travel Demand Model,” which estimates commuter trips into
and out of the District’s Downtown boundary from around the 10-county Southwestern
Pennsylvania region. Air emission impacts for each mode will also be included in the
baseline. Per its capabilities, SPC has additionally modeled commuter patterns for the
years 2025 and 2035.
In fall 2015, GBA will track progress towards the 50% transportation emission
reduction goal through the region’s first full commuter transportation survey.
Launched in collaboration with 2030 Transportation Partners, Make My Trip Count
will anonymously capture each respondent’s point of origin (by zip code), workplace
destination (by building), and commuter mode split for the year. It is the hope and
expectation of the District and its partners that these efforts will inform regional
transportation conversations regarding existing and future commuting profiles and
needs in Downtown, Oakland, and the region.
INDOOR AIR QUALITY
TohelpaddressindoorairqualityinDistrictproperties,GBApartneredwiththeUniversity
of Pittsburgh’s Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation to determine a standard
protocol for its measurement, tracking, and benchmarking. Six Property Partners are
participating in a 2014-2015 indoor air quality pilot, which includes on-site testing,
HVAC equipment evaluation, and follow-up recommendations for improvement. This
approach will support development of a scalable indoor air quality protocol that is
standardized for the entire Pittsburgh 2030 District—and able to be adopted by other
2030 Districts worldwide.
Compiled by:
Anna J. Siefken, Pittsburgh 2030 District Director, LEED AP BD+C
Isaac Smith, Pittsburgh 2030 District Resource Specialist, LEED Green Associate
Aurora L. Sharrard, PhD, Vice President of Innovation, LEED AP BD+C
Andrea Lavin Kossis, Pittsburgh 2030 District Property Specialist, LEED Green Associate
With assistance from:
Sean C. Luther, Pittsburgh 2030 District Team, 2012-2015
Kevin Betz, Pittsburgh 2030 District Team, 2014-2015
Special thanks to:
