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April 30, 2015

Pitt earns green rating

prFor the fourth consecutive year, The Princeton Review has included Pitt in its Guide to 353 Green Colleges.

The Princeton Review chose the schools for inclusion in its 2015 green colleges guide based on green ratings derived from a survey it conducted in 2014 of administrators at hundreds of colleges; to be eligible for inclusion in the guide, schools had to have a green rating of at least 83 out of a total score of 99.

The Princeton Review’s Robert Franek, senior vice president and publisher, noted the growing interest the company has seen among college-bound students in green colleges.

The Princeton Review created its Guide to 353 Green Colleges in partnership with the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council. The Princeton Review is a privately held education services company and is not affiliated with Princeton University.

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Being recognized again as one of The Princeton Review’s 353 most environmentally responsible colleges in the United States and Canada is a great way to cap off the University’s Year of Sustainability, says Daniel Marcinko, Pitt’s sustainability coordinator.

Provost Patricia E. Beeson declared the 2014-15 school year the Year of Sustainability. Earlier, and to mark the 10th anniversary of the University’s Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation, Pitt officials announced a new $37.5 million funding initiative comprising various endowments and current funds to support sustainability-related academics and research.

In 2014, the University received two new Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certifications for campus buildings: Nordenberg Hall and the mid-campus research complex renovation, both rated LEED Silver.

Pitt also has committed to incorporating stormwater management and sustainable landscaping in all design efforts.

In the academic realm, the Office of the Provost offered financial support for lectures, seminars and workshops related to sustainability.

The provost and Pitt’s Mascaro Center also awarded three 2015 faculty fellowships in sustainability, enabling professors to contribute to research within and across disciplines during the fellowship period and develop new sustainability-related courses.

Also in 2014, Pitt added three green roofs on the Pittsburgh campus, bringing the total to eight green roofs. And the new Salk Hall addition has a bioswale system and rain garden to mitigate storm water. Through such energy initiatives, Pitt reports it has realized over $50 million in energy and water cost avoidance since 1996.