Pittsburgh Renewable Energy Community Project (PRECP)

ACTION-Housing Inc. is exploring the creation of a renewable energy community that incorporates near-zero or zero-energy homes (ZEHs), with an integrated transportation plan that minimizes the need for individual cars, introduces district renewable energy generation and promotes sustainable living practices. The project will include new construction and existing structures within a contiguous area in the city of Pittsburgh.

 

Pittsburgh Renewable Energy Communitiy Project (PRECP) will offer a community-scale approach to energy efficiency and the use of renewables while creating a mixed-income housing community of approximately 120 units in Pittsburgh. Blending significant energy performance goals established by the Department of Energy with the engineering, design and research strengths of the Pittsburgh universities and green building community, PRECP will demonstrate a different approach to regional building, one that is carbon-neutral and energy and water efficient while meeting the needs of moderate income households. Ultimately, the lessons learned and systems developer will be transferrable to other developments, locally, nationally and internationally.

 

An initial grant from the PA Commonwealth Financing Authority's Alternative/Clean Energy Program is facilitating the early planning of this initiative. Early collaborators in this effort include TREK Development, FortyEighty Architecture and Iams Consulting.