PNC Firstside Center: Office New Construction

Description

PNC Firstside Center was one of the first office buildings to be LEED rated and is one of the largest corporate green buildings (650,000 square feet) in the nation. It houses multiple functions, including training, human resources, bank operations and the O'Brien Family Center, the first corporate-operated childcare program in downtown Pittsburgh. The building is developed on a remediated brownfield site, with panoramic views of the Monongahela River and a cascading trough fountain along the urban street.

Strategy

As a leader in advancing corporate adoption of LEED and green building strategies, PNC focused both on environmental outcomes, but also human impacts such as employee satisfaction, productivity and retention, urban renewal and community enhancement. The new building was also planned as a representation of PNC’s commitment to the environmental benefits of green building, and to continue to enhance the leadership role and brand equity it was beginning to build around sustainability.

To that end, Paladino developed a solid strategy to achieve LEED Silver, as PNC had already achieved a Certified level rating on processing center built previously. The goal was to demonstrate that higher certification levels were possible for corporate owner/occupiers, and could be done within, or very close to conventional cost.

Results

The outcome is a pioneering green building that incorporates many sustainable features that reduce operating costs and increase the health and well-being of its occupants, including extensive daylighting, low-voc materials and fresh air provided through operable windows. HVAC systems utilize an innovative hybrid design, combining ventilation from under the raised floor with reconditioning from an overhead system.