The University of Pittsburgh’s Mark A Nordenberg residence hall, designed as a multipurpose building to house freshmen, has received LEED-silver certification from the USGBC. Sustainability features include a 35% reduction in domestic water use; a 32% use of regional materials; and 86% of waste diverted from the landfill.

Located on a dense urban site, the building is closely connected to the neighboring community and convenient to public transportation. Among its many green features are 6 electric charging stations, a green roof, indigenous plants, operable windows, low-flow plumbing, good indoor air quality, and high-efficiency energy systems which have increased overall energy cost savings by more than 18%. A total of three LEED-certified buildings now serve Pitt, demonstrating the university’s commitment to a more sustainable environment. Mackey Mitchell’s design team included Dan Mitchell, Greg Frankenfeld, Nick Naeger, and Gregory Keppel.