The Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL) at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, Pa., has recently become the first certified Sustainable SITES Initiative v2 Platinum project in the world. The building originally opened in 2012 and was the first and only project to receive SITES 2009 Pilot Four Star certification.
The CSL was built over a previously documented brownfield with the goal of restoring the site. Since 2012, the project has successfully reintroduced 100 native plant species to the surrounding area. The building is net-zero energy and net-zero water thanks to its PV solar panels, a wind turbine, and a system for capturing and treating all water onsite for reuse.
See Also: First photos inside the nearly completed Jewel Changi Airport addition
The new SITES v2 Rating System builds off the 2009 pilot certification. SITES certified projects are better equipped to withstand catastrophic events like floods, droughts, and wildfires. They reduce water and energy demand, improve air quality, and promote human well-being.
SITES is owned and administered by Green Business Certification Inc. Certification is based on a point system: the number of points a project earns determines the certification level it receives (SItes Certified: 70-84 points, SITES Silver: 85-99 points, SITES Gold: 100-134 points, SITES Platinum: 135+ points).
Related Stories
| Sep 26, 2012
EDITORIAL OPPORTUNITY – BD+C Greenbuild 2012 Issue
Your firm is invited to contribute to this special issue, which will be distributed at Greenbuild San Francisco, Nov. 14-16, 2012.
| Sep 11, 2012
RTKL appoints Lance Hosey as Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President
Author and authority on green design to spearhead RTKL Performance-driven DesignSM initiative.
| Sep 7, 2012
7 Do's and Don'ts for PV roof rack installation
As PVs grow in popularity, nearly half of all installations require roof rack systems. Our expert tells how to do the job right and protect your client’s roof.
| Sep 7, 2012
Net-zero energy pioneers on the el-hi frontier
Getting to net-zero is not easy, but the promise of eliminating energy bills and using state-of-the-art technology as a learning lab can make a compelling case to reach for net-zero.
| Sep 7, 2012
The keys to success in the K-12 school market
When educators and school administrators describe their vision for new K-12 school buildings as ‘21st-century learning spaces,’ they’re not exaggerating. Many new schools are truly different in concept from their counterparts of only a few years ago.
| Aug 2, 2012
BD+C University: PVC Single-Plies as Sustainable Roofing Systems
You can earn 1.0 AIA credit + HSW + SD by taking this course.
| Jul 2, 2012
Plumosa School of the Arts earns LEED Gold
Education project dedicated to teaching sustainability in the classroom.
| Jun 22, 2012
USGBC Joins Six Major Organizations at Rio+20 to Launch the Global Initiative on Urban Resilience
Global initiative is designed to spur building and infrastructure development, create new investment opportunities, and foster community action around the world
| Jun 19, 2012
Armstrong Issues Environmental Product Declarations On Nine Popular Ceiling and Steel Suspension Systems
Transparent new documentation allows end users to make more informed decisions when selecting ceilings for projects
| Jun 18, 2012
Tremco Commercial Sealants & Waterproofing Unveils Sustainable Building Solutions Test Facility
State-of-the-art facility provides a controlled testing environment of air and moisture infiltration/exfiltration in air barrier systems and building enclosures
