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Pittsburgh's Sewer Problems However, the average rainfall in Pittsburgh is one-quarter of an inch.(2) Each year an estimated 16 billion gallons of raw sewage are discharged from hundreds of outfalls in the region's sewage collection system to local waterways in the Pittsburgh area. (3) Capturing rainwater before it makes its way into the storm system, however, can be an affordable key to preventing an overload of the system that contributes to these sewer overflows. An Environmental Renovation, Saving Runoff, Energy, Reducing Heat The most impressive environmental feature of the building is its 12,000 square foot green roof, completed in 2001. No outside irrigation is needed for the plants in the five inch thick roof, which absorb rainfall that would otherwise make its way into the stormwater system and contribute to sewage overflows. The roof is estimated to have a 55 percent annual rainfall retention rate and since green roofs last twice as long as traditional roofs, the Heinz building will continue to reduce stormwater for years to come. As an added bonus the green roof helps bring down energy costs by providing insulation, and reducing the rooftop heat generated in the summer. By absorbing the sun's warmth, the roof will help mitigate the "heat island" effect, caused by a lack of vegetation and the presence of dark roofs and pavement in cities. Summer heat is about eight degrees hotter in cities due to the "heat island" effect. (4)The Heinz 57 Center's roof was constructed by Philadelphia's Roofscapes, Incorporated, in cooperation with the architects Burt, Hill, Kozar, Rittlemann Associates. Pittsburgh's Past Becomes Its Future Conveniently located in a pedestrian friendly mixed use area, with shops, restaurants and businesses, the Heinz center is worker friendly as well as eco-friendly. The location and the transportation options it provides help the more than 800 employees who work in the building avoid having to drive. The building that once stood during Pittsburgh's industrial past now helps point to a cleaner future. Footnotes:
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Pittsburgh, which sits at the juncture of the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio Rivers, has serious problems with combined sewer overflows in the Three Rivers. "I would not go swimming in the Three Rivers after it rains," said Noel Hefele, who has worked on a Carnegie Mellon University project studying pollution in Allegheny County's rivers and streams over the last five years. "One-tenth of an inch of rainfall can lead to a sewage overflow." (1)
In 2001, the Heinz Corporation moved its North American headquarters into a renovated, 14-story, historic Gimbels Department Store building in downtown Pittsburgh. Heinz worked with McKnight Development Partners to add an atrium to the top seven floors of the building, which lets in light, reducing energy use and creating a more comfortable environment.