What is a Sustainable Community? 

A sustainable community provides access to clean air and water; efficient, resilient, and attainable homes, schools, and buildings; economic opportunities and high-quality jobs; quality education and learning spaces; green spaces; accessible public transportation; and safe and healthy places to raise a family.  

Sustainable communities are also resilient, with buildings and infrastructure that are energy efficient, incorporate renewable energy and effective stormwater solutions, and can withstand the impacts of extreme weather; fire, flood, and emergency events; and grid fluctuations.  

Building Sustainable and Resilient Communities  

With people at the core of our mission, GBA works to integrate community planning with energy efficiency and sustainability objectives at the neighborhood and community-scale. GBA collaborates on resilient buildings and clean energy planning, environmental issues, residential weatherization efforts, development of performance standard enhancements in policies and practices, and more.  Our team incorporates a community visioning process to ensure local priorities are translated into tangible project implementation and meaningful improvements. 

To learn how GBA may be able to work with your community, contact us at info@gba.org. 

Current and Recent Projects 

• Resilient Communities: Meadville and Reading
• Pittsburgh 2030 District
• Erie 2030 District
• New Kensington 2030 District 
• Oakland Energy Master Plan
• The Kresge Foundation’s Climate Change, Health & Equity Program: community education and engagement to advance sustainable development projects and policies at the neighborhood scale in Homewood, the Hill District, and Hazelwood neighborhoods in Pittsburgh 
• Department of Energy Energy to Communities Project  
• Department of Energy LEAP – Hill District 
• Hazelwood Green’s Sustainability Commitment: PLDP, LEED, LCC, P4
• Uptown EcoInnovation District
• City Neighborhood Plans 
• Just Communities efforts