We all know that Pittsburgh is the City of Champions for our sports teams, but did you know that our hometown is also one of the greenest cities in the nation? Pittsburgh is a leader in the number of LEED-certified buildings, has more green square footage than any other city, and maintains miles and miles of hiking, biking, and water trails in and around downtown.
Here are some of the ways Pittsburgh has earned the recognition of being a green leader:
- Ranks as a leader in the nation in the number of LEED-certified buildings.
- Revitalizes riverfronts with a growing number of walkable and bikeable spaces.
- Moves to more complete streets with continuous bike-pedestrian connections.
- Boasts a major increase in bike commuting since 2000, the largest jump of any city in the nation.
- Relies on over 50 organizations performing climate actions.
- Offers cleaner rivers and fights for clean air.
Pittsburgh also claims many green building firsts, including two of the first 12 green buildings to be LEED-certified in the nation. Other green building firsts include:
- First Green Convention Center – David L. Lawrence Convention Center
- First Green Financial Institution – PNC Firstside Center
- First Green Children’s Museum – Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
- First Green University Dance Studio – Point Park University Dance Complex
- First Green Welcome Center in a Public Garden – Phipps Conservatory Welcome Center
- First Green Smithsonian Property – Senator John Heinz History Center
- First Green Radio Station – Pittsburgh Community Broadcast Center by WYEP
- First Green Food Bank – Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank
- First Green University Dormitory – Carnegie Mellon University Stever House
- First Green Public Arts Facility – Pittsburgh Glass Center
You can read more about these and other locations on the Visit Pittsburgh website.