Pennsylvania Green Growth Partnership to Promote Energy-Efficient Buildings

By Consulting Specifying Engineer Staff November 9, 2006

Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell—who was just re-elected on Tuesday—has announced that a new statewide partnership designed to advance environmentally friendly building technologies and construction will receive $2 million from the state to get off the ground.

The Pennsylvania Green Growth Partnership complements the state’s drive toward energy independence by providing the construction industry with new resources and incentives to incorporate energy saving and efficient technology into its designs and buildings, Gov. Rendell said.

“Pennsylvania has earned the reputation as a national leader in promoting green technologies and expanding alternative energy solutions,” said Governor Rendell. “We’ve made critical investments in companies that are developing and implementing the energy solutions that will move our state and nation away from foreign sources.”

The partnership is a coordinated statewide effort that includes the Philadelphia University Pennsylvania Center for Technology and Sustainability and the Green Building Alliance in Pittsburgh. Its mission is four-fold, dedicating itself to:

• Conducting industry-led applied research. The partners will serve as advocates for the commercialization of research in green materials and will evaluate existing materials to identify possible improvements without sacrificing performance or functionality.

• Providing green design assistance. The partnership will advise architecture, engineering and construction (A/E/C) firms on ways to integrate energy-efficient technologies and design principles into new buildings, while seeking to link Pennsylvania-based manufacturers with A/E/C companies.

• Performing community outreach. Not only will the partners work to educate the A/E/C community through workshops, they will also reach out to the residential community to assist them in construction and rehabilitation decisions that have positive environmental impacts.

• Promoting commercialization and innovation. The partnership will help Pennsylvania’s researchers and building product manufacturers as they work to advance energy-efficient technologies and move more ideas through the product-development pipeline. Additionally, the group will work with state entities and the finance community to secure the investment capital that companies need to grow and bring new products to the market.

Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Yablonsky was on hand at the 19th Annual Industry Growth Forum in Philadelphia today to award the $2 million grant, which was approved by the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority.