Perhaps unique for a LEED^TM project, this project was designed and built in two distinct phases.  The first ‘shell’ phase, as an incubator building, was not registered as a LEED^TM project nor did it have any specific sustainability goals.  It was, however, designed by IKM Architects to high thermal and durability standards.

The second phase involved design and build-out for the University of Pittsburgh, McGowan Institute. The planning and design for the fit-out project was “green” from the beginning with plans to we register the project with LEED^TM and set a Gold rating as the target.

The McGowan Institute project is notable for several reasons:

• It demonstrates the successful “greening” of a pre-existing, speculative “shell’ building.

• It takes full advantage of Pittsburgh’s location in the (former) industrial heartland by using a large volume of materials manufactured or fabricated within 500 miles.

• The project also addresses one of Pittsburgh’s most serious environmental problems, the overflow of combined sewage and storm water by capturing rainwater from the roof, storing the water in a 5,000-gallon underground tank and re-using the water for toilet flushing and drip irrigation.

• The project makes creative use of state-of-the-art heat recovery wheels to increase the efficiency of the 100% outside air spaces and achieve more than 30% reduction in energy use relative to ASHRAE standards.

• Finally, the McGowan Institute has been integrated with the teaching mission of the University of Pittsburgh. The building is regularly used as a case study of applied sustainable design principles, and it is a popular destination for visiting delegations from around the world.