Pittsburgh’s tallest building is also now among the most environmentally-friendly.
The U.S. Steel Tower is now LEED Silver O+M certified.
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and O+M means the building earned for its operations and maintenance.
The certification measures how existing buildings perform in the areas of energy and water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, use of sustainable materials, transportation and other criteria, according to a news release from Pittsburgh Green Story, a partnership of organizations that champion the city’s green achievements.
The certification is noteworthy because the 49-year-old building was constructed at a time when being environmentally-friendly was not a priority, according to the release.
To earn the certification, the building did things such as making bicycle parking and electric vehicle charging stations available, reduced its use of harmful chemicals, energy and water; upgraded fixtures and fittings, and installed LED lights.
