Pittsburgh Mayor Issues RFP To Begin Greening Of City Hall

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced this week the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Energy Efficiency have issued a Request For Proposals for qualified contractors to conduct an energy audit of the City-County Building.

The comprehensive audit, to begin in early 2010, will result in a final report which will tell the City which energy improvements to make first, based largely on cost-effectiveness and energy-efficiency.

“Investing in energy-efficiency improvements is a win-win-win situation,” said Mayor Ravenstahl. “We will reduce our impact on the environment, make this building a more pleasant place to work and visit, and enjoy the cost savings in reduced energy bills for years to come.”

The audit and some of the recommended retrofits will be funded through the City’s $3.4 million Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, an allocation through President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“Too often people think that ‘green’ buildings have to be new construction. We want to show Pittsburgh and the world that some of our oldest buildings can be energy-efficient and environmentally friendly while maintaining their historical integrity,” said Ravenstahl.

The goal of the City’s energy improvement programs is to not only reduce environmental impact, but to also save money that can be used to fund further improvements in other City-owned buildings. Other environmental improvements to City buildings include the first of five solar installations planned to be installed this fall at a City firehouse.

The RFP is available on the City website. Responses are due no later than 4 p.m., September 2. The actual audit and subsequent energy-efficiency improvements are set to begin in January of 2010.