The Pittsburgh 2030 District, a project of Green Building Alliance (GBA), released its 2024 Progress Report, revealing that District property partners reached a 52.3 percent reduction in carbon emissions in 2024, or 406,000 metric tons of CO2e emissions avoided. This marks the first year that 2030 District Partners have hit the target goal of achieving a 50-65 percent reduction in carbon emissions by the year 2030 since the Pittsburgh District was founded in 2012.
Property partners in the Pittsburgh 2030 District also achieved a 25.6 percent reduction in energy usage, saved $44.2 million in energy utility costs, and reduced water usage by 33.3 percent in 2024. These reductions took place even as many businesses continued to move workers back to the office.
Carbon emissions figures reported reflect the impact of increased purchasing and/or production of renewable energy by 2030 District property partners, as well as energy use reductions. The District will continue to pursue the goal of achieving zero carbon* emissions by 2040.
The Pittsburgh 2030 District comprises 75 property partners representing more than 540 buildings occupying more than 86 million square feet within the city of Pittsburgh. They include office towers, hospitals, hotels, multifamily residential buildings, universities, professional sports facilities, museums, municipal offices and facilities, and K-12 schools.
GBA also manages 2030 Districts in Erie (established 2019) and New Kensington (established 2024), working with a total of 132 property partners and over 1,250 buildings across western Pennsylvania.
Through the 2030 District program, GBA helps property partners identify and prioritize critical investments in their buildings and operations systems that will enable them to become more efficient. Partners receive a confidential annual building performance report that analyzes their progress toward energy and water reductions, utility cost savings, zero carbon, and indoor air quality performance – setting the path for data-driven investments, resilient buildings, and cost savings. GBA also provides context and personalized recommendations for building and systems upgrades, and property partners have access to specialized training courses led by GBA staff, including GBA’s new Energy Efficiency 101 and ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager trainings.
“Exceeding 50 percent carbon emissions six years ahead of our projected goal is an outstanding achievement, while at the same time saving $55.5 million in energy and water utility costs in 2024,” says Green Building Alliance President & CEO Jenna Cramer. “It reflects the commitment of Pittsburgh property owners and their building operations teams to reduce energy use and incorporate clean, renewable energy into their energy use mix.
“GBA’s staff works with commercial property partners across all sectors, from universities, hospitals and office towers to nonprofits, schools and small business owners, helping them understand their energy and water use, and make changes to increase efficiency and save on utility costs. This results in the triple bottom line benefit of people, planet, and profit. We are so proud of the accomplishments of our Pittsburgh partners; their work and the lessons learned along the way are an inspiration to other cities and communities looking to creating a healthy, sustainable future for all.”
Pittsburgh 2030 District – 2024 Progress Report Stats at a Glance?
- 52.3 percent carbon emissions reduction (including Renewable Energy Credits)
- 25.6 percent energy reduction
- 33.3 percent water reduction
- $44.2 million in energy savings
- $11.3 million in water savings
- $55.5 million in annual energy and utility cost savings
- 406,000 metric tons of CO2e emissions avoided
“Now in its 13th year of operation, the Pittsburgh 2030 District has proved that through data analysis of large buildings and city districts – known in the industry as ‘benchmarking’ – local leaders in business, government, and nonprofits can create momentum across a community,” says GBA Senior Director Ashley DiGregorio. “GBA provides not only analysis of building operational efficiency, but also expert coaching on adaptive reuse, sustainable vacancy redevelopment, and critical investment decisions, enabling cost savings for large and small property owners.”
Buildings account for approximately 37 percent of global CO2 emissions and 40 percent of all U.S. primary energy use . Emissions goals were set in response to urgent developments in climate science indicating that for the world to meet the 1.5C carbon budget set forth in the 2015 Paris Agreement, countries must reduce CO2 emissions by 50-65 percent by 2030 and achieve zero CO2 emissions by 2040.
Action steps for improving energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact include:
- Changing lights to LEDs
- Installing occupancy/vacancy sensors in building spaces to reduce electricity use
- Managing plug or process loads [energy usage in a building not related to HVAC, lighting, or water heating] through building controls, occupant policies, and/or adding things like smart power strips or smart outlets
- Adding insulation to walls and roofs; sealing air leaks around windows and doors; adding gaskets to outlets; sealing leaks in ductwork; replacing single pane windows
- Producing or purchasing renewable, carbon-free energy by installing solar panels , buying renewable energy credits (RECs), or entering into renewable energy-related Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)
- Addressing refrigerant leaks in HVAC systems and ensuring proper disposal
- Reducing fossil fuel use, including replacing furnaces and boilers that run on natural gas with more efficient air- or ground-source heat pumps
- Advocating for policy change that enhances building energy codes + performance standards
- Adding aerators to faucets; changing to automatic or push button metered fixtures; replacing toilets or flushometers with low-flow alternatives
- If needing water for external irrigation, adding a rain barrel and using captured rainwater to irrigate plants; using native plantings that need less water
- Reusing building materials and designing for deconstruction
- Selecting building materials with low embodied carbon and that are locally produced
*A zero-carbon building is highly energy efficient, and all of its energy needs are supplied with renewable (carbon-free) technologies. Zero-carbon buildings also take into account embodied carbon in construction materials by reusing materials and reducing and sequestering carbon.
Carbon emissions calculations allow for the carbon intensity of the fuel source type, with nuclear, solar, wind and hydro-electric being carbon-free while grid-electricity, natural gas, district steam and chilled water have various emissions factors.
