A Letter From Our CEO

For more than 30 years, Green Building Alliance has leveraged the power of place to create beautiful, healthy, thriving communities; reduce the environmental impacts of our buildings; create jobs; and strengthen local businesses and regional economies. 

At GBA, we do what we do because how we build, what we build, and where and for whom we build, matters. 

Our organization was launched at a time when Pittsburgh was struggling to recover from catastrophic industrial job losses and the impact of decades of environmental degradation and neglect. Forward thinking visionaries in both the public and private sector recognized then that improving the quality of our built environment was foundational to our region’s ability to attract people, businesses, jobs, and investment. They knew that creating a vibrant quality of life for everyone and changing long-held perceptions of the Pittsburgh region required leadership and innovation in the way we design our new spaces, as well as how we tackle improvements to our existing buildings and neighborhoods. They set us on the mission path we continue to pursue today.

David Orr, an internationally recognized sustainable building leader and environmental educator, says that “hope is a verb with its sleeves rolled up.” At GBA, our sleeves are rolled up, and our team is working hard to inform and drive the market for high-performance buildings, products, and materials, and to be a source of inspiration, technical expertise, training, and trusted guidance for projects of all sizes, from renovations and retrofits to new construction and neighborhood-scale development.

We could not do our work without our members, our sponsors, our funders, and our countless community partners – those across our sector whose decisions, influence, and practice will impact the world we leave our children and grandchildren. Together, we have the power to ensure that our buildings and our communities are future ready, built to last, and healthy for all.

Jenna Cramer
President and CEO
Green Building Alliance