Pittsburgh Green Workplace Challenge Highest Scoring Organizations Recognized

Sustainable Pittsburgh’s Green Workplace Challenge this week recognized the highest scoring organizations in the 2014-15 competition.

A 12-month, friendly competition, the GWC empowers organizations to track and measure improvements in energy, water, waste, and transportation.  The competition involves using a guidebook that provides over 240 action items to earn points, verification, and recognition.

The high scores in each category went to—

-- Businesses:

Micro Business Category Winner: Pashek Associates – 235 points

Small Business Category Winner: evolveEA – 598 points

Medium Business Category Winner: The Mall at Robinson – 507 points

Large Business Category Winner: Highmark – 1,003 points

-- Nonprofits:

Micro Nonprofit Category Winner: Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) – 431 points, followed by the PA Resources Council and the PA Environmental Council

Small Nonprofit Category Winner: GTECH –722 points

Medium Nonprofit Category Winner – Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh – 743 points

-- University: Category Winner: University of Pittsburgh – 770 points

-- Small Municipality/Local Government: Category Winner: Monaca Borough – 310 points

-- Large Municipality/Local Government: Category Winner is Allegheny County – 1,353 points.

-- Top Saver Awards:

Top Energy Saver: Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh (21.5 percent Reduction)

Top Water Saver: Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh (17 percent Reduction)

Top Waste Reducer: Allegheny County (62 percent Reduction in Landfilled Waste)

Top Commuter Footprint Reducer: GTECH Strategies (9.4 percent Reduction)

Top Legacy Performer: Conservation Consultants, Inc. (65.5 percent Reduction from 2010 - 2015)

Overall, there were 1,931 actions taken by the 50 active participants in the competition to reduce their environmental footprint. Competitors reduced—

-- Energy: GWC competitors saved enough energy to power 1,541 average U.S. homes for a year (18,602,681 kWh of energy savings), translating to $1.5 million in cost savings. Factoring in the social cost of carbon, the savings are between $1.65-$2 million. The amount of energy saved equates to more than all of the occupied homes in Polish Hill (697 homes), Swisshelm Park (625 homes), and St. Clair (209 homes) for a year.

-- Waste: GWC participants reduced landfill waste by 436 tons, or 35 percent compared to the baseline. Total waste, which includes compostable, recyclable, and landfill materials, was reduced 517 tons or 24 percent. This is an increase in the diversion rate by 20 percent.

-- Greenhouse Gases: Participants saved over 2,865 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, which translates to roughly 73 airline flights of 500 miles: roughly 2/3 of a day worth of all flights leaving Pittsburgh International Airport on a typical day. Additionally, participants saved 2,700 pounds of PM 2.5 from entering the atmosphere.

For more information on this and other programs, visit the Green Workplace Challenge and the Sustainable Pittsburgh websites.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from Sustainable Pittsburgh (bottom of the page).