Project Name: 

University of Pittsburgh Greensburg Life Sciences Building

Project Square Footage (ft²):

32,416 SF

Year Built:

2021

Green Building Certifications: 

LEED Silver Certified

Project Team: 

Rycon Construction, MacLachlan, Cornelius & Filoni Architects , University of Pittsburgh

Tell us more about the building's project team - how did the group work together to address sustainability and building performance?

We worked with the Owner and the design team throughout the early stages of the project to make sure we were meeting the LEED requirements and adjusting once it was determined we didn’t initially meet the required points for LEED.

What were major challenges in the project related to building performance and how did the project team work to overcome them?

Early on, we initially didn’t meet all the criteria for LEED, so features were added, and adjustments were made (in particular this pertained to the mechanical system).

What are the project's key sustainability features?

The mechanical system (how it operates), bioretention pond, and amenities such as car charger stations and bike racks.

What are your main take-aways or lessons learned from this project? Have these lessons informed other projects?

The main lesson learned is to always make sure to take care of ensuring LEED requirements will be achieved as early as possible in case items need adjusted to meet the criteria. This avoids any delays, high-pressure decisions, or unnecessary costs.