A former hub for heavy industry, New Kensington is reinventing itself, bolstered by an energetic and collaborative community focused on improving its central business district and surrounding area. This reinvestment includes the development of the 70-acre site, New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park, headlined by anchor tenant Re:Build Manufacturing, and the revitalization of Fifth Avenue. 

Tackling the state of the existing building stock is a large part of this revitalization. GBA is working with property owners by providing education, training, and supporting efforts that prioritize attainable upgrades, roof replacements and building envelope improvements.  

Through a joint partnership with GBA and the Energy Efficiency Alliance, the city was awarded a $50,000 Municipal Opportunities for Retrofits and Energy Efficiency (MORE) grant to fund an in-depth energy assessment of New Kensington’s City Hall that will guide future building upgrades and systems, including the roof. This grant allows the City of New Kensington to apply for a future MORE loan program to cover project costs for building improvements identified in the energy assessment.  

GBA will use City Hall retrofits and subsequent energy savings as an educational tool and model to inspire other building owners. 

2030 District Program Benefits 

GBA helps 2030 District property partners identify and prioritize critical investments in their building systems and operations that will enable them to become more efficient. Partners receive a confidential annual utility assessment that analyzes their progress toward energy and water reductions, utility cost savings, zero carbon, and indoor air quality performance, setting the path for data-driven investments, resilient buildings, and cost savings. 

GBA also provides context and personalized recommendations for building and systems upgrades, and property partners have access to specialized training courses led by GBA staff, including GBA’s Energy Efficiency 101 course, detailing actionable no- and low-cost energy and water efficiency measures to reduce utility usage, save on operating costs, and protect the lifespan of critical building equipment.  

Expanding on those best practices, a new Intro to Capital Planning curriculum kicks off later in 2025.  

New Kensington property owners 

Meet us in New Kensington! Questions about our services, your building, and where to start on your building improvement journey? GBA regularly hosts office hours at the Corner on Fifth Avenue. Check out our events page for upcoming dates. If you can’t make it to meet us in person, you can reach out to our team.