GBA has a long history of providing behind-the-scenes technical review, guidance, and assistance to green projects at a variety of scales and capacities. Whether a small upgrade, entire building, deep retrofit, new construction, a community, neighborhood, or district – GBA’s Technical Assistance activities are designed to help support decision makers at critical project stages, while increasing market demand for green building opportunities from owners, designers, service providers, building managers, product manufacturers, and many other stakeholders.

Engagements can be brief or deep, encompassing one meeting or many years, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Educating about the importance of green, healthy, and high performance building practices

• Providing informational resources about what a green project is (and how to achieve it)

• Assistance in creating RFPs for desired green building work

• Serving as a third-party expert to the owner or design team

• Making connections between projects, service providers, product manufacturers, funding and financing sources, and others

• Promoting successes and local case studies through our newsletter, blog, and the Pittsburgh Green Story

• Writing letters of support for funding

In general, GBA’s Technical Assistance efforts support projects, owners, developers, and design and/or operations teams that represent the following categories:

• Innovative and/or transformative for the region

• Funder-driven

• Government-supported

• Mission Correlation

• Fee for Service

Past Projects

GBA’s Technical Assistance is very often delivered behind the scenes well before a project is public. Past public examples of projects GBA has engaged in include:

• David L. Lawrence Convention Center – As one of Pittsburgh’s hallmark green buildings, GBA has been providing technical support to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center (DLCC) at a variety of evolving levels since the late 1990s. Over a decade ago, GBA led the DLCC’s LEED-NC documentation.  Then, from 2010 – 2012, in an effort to capitalize on the original, long-term, and continuous support of the DLCC, GBA led a case study and analysis of the DLCC’s green features, performance, and operations of the past, present, and future. This 2012 Post-Occupancy Performance Analysis of a LEED-NC Building helped the DLCC achieve LEED-EBOM Platinum status. 

• eCenter @ Linden Pointe – GBA provided the City of Hermitage funding support, green building specs and review, contractor education and training, and promotion.

• Erie School District 

• Phipps Center for Sustainable Landscapes – As the most decorated green building in Pittsburgh (and possibly the world) GBA served as an advisor to the owner specific to certifications and products in the CSL’s integrative pursuit of LEED Platinum, the Living Building Challenge, and Sustainable SITES (4 stars).  The CSL has also achieved Net Zero Energy certification and WELL Platinum.