Tree Pittsburgh Solar PV

Tree Pittsburgh’s Heritage Nursery Solar PV Expansion Project

Tree Pittsburgh is an environmental non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing community vitality by restoring and protecting the urban forest through tree planting and care, education, and advocacy. The organization grew out of citizen concern for the health and wellbeing of the City’s urban forest. Tree Pittsburgh new headquarters, designed to achieve LEED Platinum and Net-Zero Energy Certifications, is built on the former Tippins Steel Mill. The new facility serves as a campus for the organization and includes new offices and an education center, as well as the 3-acre Heritage Nursery. The tree nursery is where Tree Pittsburgh grows plant material used in the organization’s reforestation plantings, as well as for other regional organizations, land trusts, watershed groups, and municipalities. The Heritage Nursery serves as a model for sustainable agriculture across Pennsylvania. The grant helped Tree Pittsburgh complete their 68.7 kW solar PV installation by adding the last 8.5 kW of solar which achieved their vision of a Net-Zero Energy certified campus.

Impact

• Headquarters designed to LEED-Platinum, Net-Zero standards
• Addition of 68.7 kW solar enabled Net-Zero vision to be met
• Enhancing community vitality by restoring/ protecting urban forest
• Inspiring and engaging people to maintain, plant, and protect trees
• Getting your hands dirty for a healthy urban forest – priceless