Pittsburgh Welcomes New Green Skyscraper

PITTSBURGH — After beginning construction in 2012, PNC Financial Services Group is set to open its LEED Platinum certified building as its headquarters in downtown Pittsburgh. The tenants have started moving into the building as of the last week of September but the move will not be complete until January 2016.

PNC is the largest bank in Pittsburgh and the seventh largest in the nation. It is also the first major U.S. bank that has built its branches to green building standards. The new headquarters is the greenest office building in the world, according to a statement released by PNC. The company has been pursuing opportunities to decrease energy consumption and is using LED lights, occupancy sensors and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.

The $400 million skyscraper features many green features that awarded it a LEED Platinum certification. This includes it’s own water recycling and treatment system, a two-layer system of glass covering on the building so it is able to provide its own ventilation for almost half of the year, a solar chimney and a smart chandelier that monitors and reports energy use within the building. The water recycling and treatment system recycles and treats rain water and wastewater for flushing, cooling and irrigation, according to a PNC release. The solar chimney and two-layer system creates a cycle in which fresh air enters the building, naturally warms, rises through the shafts and exits at the roof.

The 800,000-square-foot PNC headquarters also features bike racks, locker rooms, a full-service cafeteria with indoor and outdoor seating, an indoor park with plants, fresh air and views of the city, and an auditorium that can be used for both client and employee events.

“By reducing our operating costs, spurring development in downtown Pittsburgh and providing an environment in which employees are comfortable and productive, the Tower at PNC Plaza reflects PNC’s ongoing commitment to serve all of our stakeholders,” said PNC Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Demchak in a statement. Not only has the building spurred development but, “the tower, which has been designed to consume less water and energy, takes PNC’s leadership in green building to a whole new level.”

PNC hopes to inspire other companies to adopt this sustainability practice. “From a resource conservation, operational efficiency and workplace satisfaction perspective, green building makes good business sense. Fortunately, many companies already recognize the benefits of sustainable design, and it is only a matter of time before one of them builds the next greenest office tower,” PNC director of Corporate Real Estate, Gary Saulson said in a statement.

The new 33-story, 545-foot tall headquarters is expected to use only half of the energy of a typical office building and will use 77 percent less water. The tower will be the first US financial institution to be LEED-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. The tower is a continuation of the banks efforts to create great workplaces while keeping their environmental imprint to a minimum, according to a release by PNC. The building will house 2,200 employees, who will be connected through furnished two-story neighborhoods that will connect employees on different floors and provide alternative workspaces.

The project team that helped make the building LEED Platinum certified includes Pittsburgh-based contractor PJ Dick, Inc., global design firm Gensler, global engineering firm BuroHapplod, Seattle-based sustainability consultation Paladino and Company and New York City-based experience design firm ESI Design.