13 September 2019: The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and Pittsburgh’s Green Building Alliance (GBA) have launched the International Centre of Excellence on High Performance Buildings. The Centre will promote best practices in design, construction, policy and training into scalable solutions, with the aim of catalyzing economies based on equitable opportunity and human health.

As an International Centre, Pittsburgh’s GBA will disseminate and deploy UNECE’s ‘Framework Guidelines for Energy Efficiency Standards in Buildings.’ According to Scott Foster, Director of Sustainable Energy, UNECE, improving the energy performance of buildings “stands out” among all the approaches to addressing climate change.

Buildings are responsible for 40% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from combustion, and developing countries need to develop buildings for an anticipated 2.4 billion new urban residents by 2050. Beyond reducing the buildings’ carbon footprint, Foster said improving the energy performance of buildings will “enhance quality of life, reduce energy bills, improve health, create jobs and encourage innovation.” UNECE’s work on sustainable energy focuses on improving access to affordable and clean energy for all (SDG 7) and supporting commitments under the Paris Agreement on climate change (SDG 13).

GBA Executive Director, Jenna Cramer, explained that International Centres “transform how we build cities,” including the design and construction of buildings and the materials used. She said the Centres champion innovation, transition the workforce towards a healthier future and can help “set new standards for the future.”

Pittsburgh’s International Centre follows New York City’s Building Energy Exchange, which was the first Centre of Excellence tasked with deploying the UNECE’s Framework Guidelines. The Pittsburgh Centre is a collaboration among regional partners, including the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, and contributes to and benefits from the global network of centres. [UNECE Press Release]