Swanson School Research Partner PITT OHIO Receives Gold LEED Certification for Cheswick Terminal
News release reposted with permission of PITT OHIO
PITTSBURGH (May 31, 2017) - A PITT OHIO Terminal, located at 1 Rich Hill Road, Cheswick PA, 15024, has received enough points to officially certify the location as LEED Gold. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Certification requires a building to meet certain sustainability standards in water, energy, and material usage efficiency, all of which the terminal has met and surpassed.
The terminal received points to achieve the Gold Level Certification in six of the eight LEED categories including, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation & Design. Out of a possible 60 points needed to obtain a Gold ranking, the terminal received 63 on the LEED scale.
The 55,000 square foot terminal, responsible for servicing the Pittsburgh region, utilizes a low-emitting Energy Star roof positioned to reflect the highest percentage of the sun’s rays, cooling the surrounding area and lowering air conditioning costs. 150 LED lights are used in replacement of incandescent, saving about $2,000 a year in electricity. A geothermal well was put in place to utilize the Earth’s temperature as a heat source in the winter and a heat sink in the summer. The project also uses renewable solar and wind energy with a 60kw photovoltaic array and a WindStax Turbine. The energy cost savings, when all forms of innovation are taken into account, are over 45% when compared to a conventional building.
The Pittsburgh terminal is the company's second LEED Gold certified building. The 22,000 square foot Maintenance Shop Building located on the same campus received Gold distinction in late 2016.
The entire site uses sustainable landscaping including bioswales, or man-made elements placed to remove pollutants and dirt from runoff, and drought tolerant native plants to cut down on water usage and prevent flooding. Low-flow appliances and fixtures are also projected to save over 30% of the water that conventional fixtures would use in the same buildings.
PITT OHIO secured help from EvolveEA; an organization dedicated to the advancement of environmentally sustainable systems and solutions through design and thought leadership. Marc Mondor, an American Institute-Architect, LEED Fellow, and a USGBC Faculty at EvolveEA, and his team assisted PITT OIHO with the application process and submittals of all necessary documentation.“We are pleased and proud to have been a part of this project, from early goal setting sessions to this milestone of multiple LEED certifications,” said Mondor. “This makes PITT OHIO the first trucking terminal in the country with two LEED Gold projects. PITT OHIO has raised the bar, with a terminal that employs solar energy, wind energy, energy storage, stormwater retention, as well as a design that benefits all interior occupants.”
“PITT OHIO is proud to provide its customers and employees with one of the most innovative, sustainable, LEED Gold certified facilities found anywhere in this country,” stated Jim Fields, Chief Operating Officer at PITT OHIO. “This flexible facility and world class vehicle maintenance shop have state-of-the-art features which help us attract and retain some of the most talented drivers and mechanics in the region. It clearly represents our commitment to Pittsburgh and Allegheny County and to the western Pennsylvania region. It also demonstrates how incredibly talented people from the academic and business communities can team-up to solve complex business problems.”
Following consideration of the importance of environmental sustainability and a commitment to be a leader in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions, PITT OHIO is dedicated to doing its best to achieve environmental and social responsibility. The company actively tries to reduce its carbon footprint on the road and at their facilities and their commitment to sustainability will be evident in future construction projects.
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Photo above: 180 rooftop solar panels atop the PITT OHIO Cheswick facility, along with a WindStax Turbine (background) helped the company achieve LEED Gold.
Photo below: At the LEED ceremony, from left: Michael Rooney, Bob Hurley, Jim Fields, Chuck Hammel, Rich Fitzgerald, Dr. Brandon Grainger, Dr. Gregory Reed, Dr. Katrina Kelly and Jennifer Liptak.
Rich Fitzgerald, County Executive, Allegheny County
Bob Hurley, Director, Allegheny County Economic Development
Jennifer Liptak, Chief of Staff, County Executive
Dr. Gregory Reed, Director, University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Energy
Dr. Brandon Grainger, Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Energy
Dr. Katrina Kelly, Manager of Strategy and Business Development, University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Energy
Michael Rooney, Manager of District Energy Initiatives, University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Energy
Chuck Hammel, President, PITT OHIO
Jim Fields, Chief Operating Officer, PITT OHIO
Jim Maug, Director of Building Maintenance and Property Management
ABOUT PITT OHIO
In adhering to their “We’re Always There For You” signature commitment, PITT OHIO is dedicated to providing their customers with the best value in its SUPPLY CHAIN, GROUND, Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) and TRUCKLOAD services. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, PITT OHIO services the entire Mid-Atlantic and Mid-West regions and the remainder of the United States and Canada with North American service providers. To contact PITT OHIO, please visit their website at www.pittohio.com.
ABOUT LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (LEED)
LEED certification ensures electricity cost savings, lower carbon emissions and healthier environments for the places we live, work, learn, play and worship. LEED’s global sustainability agenda is designed to achieve high performance in key areas of human and environmental health, acting on the triple bottom line - putting people, planet, and profit first. LEED projects earn points by adhering to prerequisites and credits across nine measurements for building excellence from integrative process to indoor environmental quality.
ABOUT EVOLVE ENVIRONMENT AND ARCHITECTURE
Evolve environment and architecture (EvolveEA) is a nimble multidisciplinary practice situated at the intersection of sustainability and the built environment. The team of designers, architects, environmental scientists and sustainable business experts look through three lenses of sustainability: People, Process, and Place.
Contact: Candi Cybator