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Events

Let the countdown begin

6th Annual Regional Equitable Development Summit:
"Going Regional in Addressing Blighted and Abandoned Properties"

Tuesday, December 15
8:30 am - 12:30 pm (8:00 am - Registration and Continental Breakfast)
Twentieth Century Club, 4201 Bigelow Blvd., Oakland
Fee: $10 Sustainable Pittsburgh members; $15 non-members
Registration and details
Contact: info@sustainablepittsburgh.org or Lori Butler at 412-258-6642

Keynote presented by John Kromer, Sr. Consultant at the Fels Institute, author of Fixing Broken Cities: The Implementation of Urban Development Strategies

Also featuring:
Opening Remarks, Laura Zinski, Executive Director, Mon Valley Initiative

Strategy Panel:
Moderator: Irene McLaughlin
- Joanna Deming, Director of Outreach and Engagement, Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania
- Michael Kohlman, Director, Beaver County Tax Claim Bureau
- Mark Minnerly, Director of Real Estate at The Mosites Company
- Jacqueline Parker, Deputy Secretary, Community Affairs and Development, PA Department of Community and Economic Development
- Kendall Pelling, Project Manager, East Liberty Development Inc. and Co-chair Vacant Property Working Group

Call to Action: Bracken Burns, Commissioner, Washington County

Click here for a full event description.

Resources

6th Annual Southwestern Pennsylvania Regional Equitable Development Summit
"Going Regional on Addressing Blighted and Abandoned Properties"

Tuesday, December 15
8:30 am - 12:30 pm (8:00 am - Registration and Continental Breakfast)
Twentieth Century Club, 4201 Bigelow Blvd., Oakland
Fee: $10 Sustainable Pittsburgh members; $15 non-members
Registration and details
Contact: info@sustainablepittsburgh.org or Lori Butler at 412-258-6642
Keynote: John Kromer, Sr. Consultant at the Fels Institute, author of Fixing Broken Cities: The Implementation of Urban Development Strategies

*NEW* Featuring:

Opening Remarks, Laura Zinski, Executive Director, Mon Valley Initiative

Strategy Panel:
Moderator: Irene McLaughlin
- Joanna Deming, Director of Outreach and Engagement, Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania
- Michael Kohlman, Director, Beaver County Tax Claim Bureau
- Mark Minnerly, Director of Real Estate at The Mosites Company
- Jacqueline Parker, Deputy Secretary, Community Affairs and Development, PA Department of Community and Economic Development
- Kendall Pelling, Project Manager, East Liberty Development Inc. and Co-chair Vacant Property Working Group

Call to Action: Bracken Burns, Commissioner, Washington County

The presence of blighted and abandoned properties is among Southwestern Pennsylvania's most pressing threats undermining sustainable communities and regional equitable development. Blight and abandonment is a tip of the iceberg issue that undermines and potentially exacts a downward spiral sentence on quality of life and prosperity across social, economic and environmental essentials for a sustainable community. Without mitigation, this problem will continue to grow and be a drain on the region’s resources. It undercuts the ability of the region's communities to maintain their footing as places of choice. There are real costs. As the Statewide Blight Task Force noted in 2008, “Blight is an “economic crime” costing taxpayers and municipalities millions of dollars annually in lost property tax revenues, sewer and water fees, and increased municipal expenditures.”

Addressing blight and abandonment offers the chance to build assets in a community. It is a win-win strategy that pays in stabilizing neighborhoods, increased revenue, job creation, increase in property values and lower crime. Given the regional nature of this issue, regional approaches are in order. However, at present, there exists no regional plan, decision-making table, nor coordinated regional effort to tackle the growing crisis of abandonment and blight in our communities.

This year's Summit will present findings are recommendations from recent work, specific to our region, on how regional capacity can be developed to address blight and abandonment. Practical strategies and cooperative efforts will be highlighted as ripe for deployment to the benefit of individual communities and the regional as a whole. The Summit will be a key milestone in developing new structures and well-substantiated plans for raising capacity around the region to attack blight and return properties to community benefit and often local tax rolls.

Keynote, John Kromer is Senior Consultant at the Fels Institute of Government and is the author of Fixing Broken Cities: The Implementation of Urban Development Strategies. He is a serving as strategic consultant to Sustainable Pittsburgh's Regional Blighted and Abandoned Properties Solutions Project.

Presented by:
- Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania
- Sustainable Pittsburgh's Sustainable Community Development Network
- University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs: Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership

Sponsored by:
- The Buhl Foundation
- The Heinz Endowments
- Richard King Mellon Foundation

Developers' Workshop - Saving Time & Money with Low-impact Development

Friday, December 4
8:30 am - 3:00 pm
Westmoreland Conservation District, 218 Donohoe Road, Greensburg
Cost: $40, includes breakfast, lunch and materials
Registration due: TODAY - Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Visit the Westmoreland Conservation District Web site or call Christie at 724-837-5271, ext. 210.
Registration brochure

See how designing with - instead of against - the natural contours and features of a site makes good (dollars and) sense. Move less earth... Convey less water... create fewer (or no) basins... lower site lifetime costs... and gain aesthetic and environmental benefits with this “smart growth” approach. Some of the area’s most successful developers, planners, engineers, and designers will be at the District to share their practical perspectives. The day-long event will also feature a hands-on visioning activity using smart growth principals in low-impact development. Seating is limited and registration and pre-payment are required by Wednesday, November 25. Downloadable registration forms and electronic payment capability are available at the Westmoreland Conservation District web site.

“Race, Ethnicity, and College Student Development: From Theory to Practice”

Monday, December 7
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
School of Social Work Conference Center, 2017 Cathedral of Learning, 20th Floor, University of Pittsburgh, Oakland
Lunch will be provided
Registration is not required
Visit the Center on Race and Social Problems for more information or call 412-624-7382.
Information on presenter, Kathy W. Humphrey

The University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work Center on Race and Social Problems presents: “Race, Ethnicity, and College Student Development: From Theory to Practice” as part of its Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney Fall 2009 Speaker Series. The featured speaker is Kathy W. Humphrey, Vice Provost and Dean of Students, University of Pittsburgh

GBA “State of the Union”

Wednesday, December 9
7:30 am – 9:30 am
Harvard Yale Princeton (HYP) Club – 619 William Penn Place, Downtown Pittsburgh
Cost: $35.00 for GBA Members; $45.00 for nonmembers
Advance registration only. RSVP by December 7

Join the Green Building Alliance and friends for their final event of 2009! GBA will conduct a year-in-review; including updates with the LEED Rating System, USGBC and LEED AP continuing education, as well as all the exciting updates at GBA. Also, they will share what’s in store for 2010! This Breakfast Briefing is catered and seats are going fast.

Workshop Explores Wind Energy Manufacturing Opportunities

Wednesday, December 16
8:30 am - Noon
Sewall Center on the Robert Morris University campus, Moon Township
Free to attend
Register by contacting Mickey Denner at mdenner@pittsburghregion.org or by phone at 412-392-4555, ext. 3103.
Registration deadline is December 9, 2009.
More information

This free half-day workshop is for small- to mid-sized manufacturers wanting to explore the business opportunities related to the regional wind energy supply chain. Participants will learn about the structure of the wind energy supply chain and the components that are most in demand globally, what original equipment manufacturers in the wind energy industry look for in their suppliers and how capable regional manufacturers from targeted sectors can take advantage of growing supply chain prosperity in this alternative energy sector. Sectors targeted as potential matches for the wind energy supply chain include metal fabricators and foundries, machine shops and manufacturers of bearings, plastics, coatings, controls and electrical equipment and components (including turbines, generators, motors and fans). A case study from an existing regional manufacturer already involved in the wind energy supply chain will also be presented.

Pine Creek Watershed Conservation Plan Public Meeting Dates Scheduled

Thursday, January 28, 2010
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Rose Barn in North Park
Backup date is Thursday, February 4 if there is a meeting cancellation due to weather.

As reported in the October North Area Environmental Council (NAEC) Newsletter, NAEC and the Pine Creek Watershed Coalition (PCWC) are developing a Pine Creek Watershed Conservation Plan. The Pine Creek Watershed includes Bradford Woods, Etna, Franklin Park, Fox Chapel, Hampton, Indiana, Marshall, McCandless, O’Hara, Pine, Richland, Ross, Shaler, and Sharpsburg.

A Watershed Conservation Plan is a combination of watershed research and public opinion that works to restore, maintain, and enhance watershed resources. Local citizen participation in the planning effort is key to ensuring that the Watershed Conservation Plan responds to their community’s needs and concerns. Projects recommended in the plan will become eligible for future state and federal funding.

The first round of public meetings was held in June 2009 to provide input and identify issues and concerns related to the study. Using the information from these public meetings, public survey results, interviews with key watershed stakeholders, and the continued coordination with the plan’s study committee, draft management strategies and action plans are now being developed. The January 28 meeting is an additional opportunity for the public to provide input on the content of the management strategies and action plans and to prioritize them in a manner that will benefit not only the natural elements, but also the social fabric of the watershed. The meeting format will include an approximate 20-minute presentation of the watershed plan, management strategies, and action items. Following the presentation, several workshop areas will be set up, and the public will be invited to participate in a prioritization exercise and will discuss in small groups the strategies and action plans.

Sign up now: Permaculture Design Course

January 31, 2010 - Introduction Workshop
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Lipp Homestead, West View
Cost: $30

Course Details:
75 hour Permaculture Certification Course (Weekends and 2 evenings)
February 20-21, 9-5 PM
February 15, 6-10 PM
February 27-28, 9-5PM
March 13-14, 9-5 PM
March 17, 6-10 PM
March 20-21, 9-5 PM
Cost: $1200; Early registration by Jan 1, 2010 $1000
To register contact Darrell Frey at defrey@bioshelter.com or call 724-376-2797

Permaculture design is an ecological design system that incorporates principles of ecology, sustainable technologies and earth care ethics. Completion of a Permaculture certificate course entitles the participant to offer goods and services as a Permaculture consultant.

Where: LIPP Homestead is a 1.3 acre site in West View, two miles from the City line and just off of 279N. A 5000 foot organic garden space, stream, and original 1898 farmhouse and dairy house are what remain of the Lipp family farm. Course participants will work to increase the sustainability of the site through the application of ecological design principles and practices. A day will be spent at Three Sisters Farm and Bioshelter. Course leader Darrell Frey has been practicing and teaching Permaculture since 1986. Other guest presenters will participate.

Resources

Regional Enterprise Tower solar panel installation complete Downtown

Workers have been replacing lights, adding timers and motion sensors to shut off lights in empty offices, installing water-saving bathroom fixtures, and improving the heating and ventilation system. They replaced inflatable rubber seals on the 2,100 windows, designed to pivot in their frames so workers could clean the outsides from within the building, said Mitch Dexter, senior project manager for Baltimore-based Constellation Energy. The effort was topped off by the solar roof panels that should generate 10.5 kilowatts of power — enough to power the meeting rooms and kitchen that take up the 31st floor, Dexter said. The panels and other improvements should save the SPC $5 million over 15 years, he said.

Olmsted's 1895 Pa. steel town seeks green rebirth

''This community is such a wonderful template for demonstrating (sustainability) not just for themselves, but, I think, way outside of Vandergrift,'' said University of Pittsburgh professor Lisa Mauck Weiland, looking over the skeletal wooden remains of what was once a JCPenney. The building is now the object of a ''green'' renovation with the input of students from Pitt and a local high school.

More

Pennsylvania Works! Campaign

Pennsylvania, like much of the United States, faces critical challenges in these tough economic times. We must:
— put people to work, and
— build for a resilient and robust economy, for all Pennsylvanians.

And we must do it while using our taxes and other resources as efficiently as possible.

The mission of the Pennsylvania Works! campaign is to advocate for specific legislative and administrative initiatives that generate economic opportunities and job creation, promote government efficiency, and create vibrant, prosperous, and livable communities throughout Pennsylvania.

ICLEI USA Unveils Comprehensive Toolkit for Greening Cities and Counties

"There are so many steps to go through, so many individual initiatives to consider, so many stakeholders to involve, and it's hard to know where to begin. Municipal staff didn't want to have to reinvent the wheel and create their own process from scratch, especially when their resources and manpower are often so limited. Fortunately, big cities like New York have acted as the trailblazer."

Personal Rapid Transit: Future Or Elevated Fantasy?

American cities including Ithaca, N.Y., and San Jose, Calif., are doing PRT feasibility studies. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is also looking into a PRT system.

In New Orleans, LaHood Unveils $280M in Streetcar and Bus Grants

"'Fostering the concept of livability in transportation projects will stimulate America’s neighborhoods to become safer, healthier and more vibrant,' LaHood said in a statement on the grants. The money is set to be divided into two parts. The first would award $130 million to streetcars and 'urban circulators,' with a focus on proposals that promote mixed-use development in local neighborhoods. No project can win more than $25 million from that pot, however, which would provide about 12 percent of the funding New Orleans needs for its ambitious streetcar expansion plan."

China Launches World Leading Report on Low-carbon Economy Development

As co-chair of the CCICED Low Carbon Economy taskforce, Bjorn Stigson said: “It seems the ‘green race is on'. With this report and others by the CCICED, China is leading the world in analyzing in detail what would be required to make a shift to a low-carbon economy.”

National Eco-Adventure Film Begins and Ends in Pittsburgh!

YERT, which stands for "Your Environmental Road Trip," (http://www.yert.com) is a one-year 50-state video documentary road trip to explore and personalize weird, wild, and wonderful approaches to sustainability across the country -- starting and ending in Pittsburgh, PA! You can support this project by visiting their website and watching the trailer for their feature film. All throughout the journey, Mark Dixon, Ben Evans, and Julie Evans released fast-paced videos online to share their adventures, including their very own "road rules" eco-challenges (like keeping all of their garbage in the car all year), visits to environmentally significant destinations, and most importantly, interviews with over 800 leaders, businesspeople, researchers, and average citizens from all walks of life. Their work has been featured on Treehugger.com, the Weather Channel, Voice of America, the San Francisco Chronicle, and on NPR stations nationwide via the environmental news program, "Living on Earth." Now the team is working on "YERT Phase 2," developing a feature film, additional short films, live presentations, and educational curriculum based on the project. They recently submitted their film to the Sundance Film Festival and are continuing with post-production in Pittsburgh, PA and Louisville, KY.

For information on becoming a Member of Sustainable Pittsburgh, please visit our website.

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Sustainable Pittsburgh affects decision-making in the Pittsburgh Region to integrate economic prosperity, social equity and environmental quality bringing sustainable solutions to communities and businesses.

Sustainable Pittsburgh benefits from support in 2009 from:

Bayer Corporation
Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
Buhl Foundation
Dollar Bank
Falk Foundation
FedEx Ground
The Giant Eagle Foundation
The Heinz Endowments
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Elsie H. Hillman Foundation
Richard King Mellon Foundation
Dylan Todd Simonds Foundation
University of Pittsburgh
UPMC


Special thanks to the SP Members

Sustainable Pittsburgh
425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1335
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
(412) 258-6642
fax (412) 258-6645
E-mail SP