The Phipps Center of Sustainable Landscapes received a grant this week on what it called a “living building” as a model for meeting Pennsylvania's clean energy and environmental protection goals.

"The Center for Sustainable Landscapes will represent the future of sustainability and attract international attention to Phipps and Pennsylvania, while the living building will challenge other organizations to choose renewable resources and consider all possible energy-saving solutions. This important grant greatly helps in the process," said Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Executive Director Richard V. Piacentini.

"Pennsylvania is leading a revolution in clean energy development and deployment by making strategic investments and partnerships with progressive organizations such as the Phipps Center for Sustainable Landscape," said DEP Bureau of Energy Innovations Director Dan Griffiths as he presented a $250,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority. "Pennsylvania is investing in its future and establishing itself as a leader of the new energy economy.

"For too many years, Pittsburgh and the rest of the state's economy became sluggish as industries started to shrink," Griffiths said. "Now, thanks to innovators such as Phipps and its partners in Pittsburgh's green building renaissance, Pennsylvania has gained a reputation as a leading destination for innovative energy development and conservation projects."

The Phipps Conservatory "living building" will generate its own energy with renewable resources. It will also capture and treat all of its wastewater on-site and the facility will produce no emissions, or carbon footprint.

Once completed, the Phipps Center for Sustainable Landscapes will house the nucleus of the conservatory's education, research and administrative programs.

Pennsylvania and Phipps will be setting the standard in the green building industry and they will be gaining important economic, environmental and educational knowledge.

Having the first living building in Pennsylvania will help support the state's burgeoning green industry sector and the growth of affiliated high-tech research industries that are important job-engines.

The grant awarded to the Phipps Center for Sustainable Landscapes was part of a total $11 million investment in 24 innovative, alternative and renewable energy projects approved by the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority earlier this month.

For more information, visit the Phipps Center of Sustainable Landscapes website.

10/26/2007