Pittsburgh, PA
Local Sustainability Matching Fund Proposal
Spring 2012
Purpose:
To catalyze an online resource for increasing residential energy efficiency upgrades throughout the
Pittsburgh region as an outgrowth of the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan.
Brief description of project goals, strategy, and key activities:
The Metro Scale-Up Initiative is a regional strategy designed to increase residential energy efficiency
upgrades throughout the Pittsburgh region. As an outgrowth of the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan,
(approved by The Pittsburgh City Council in 2008 and again in 2012,) Metro Scale-Up is uniquely
positioned at the intersection of multiple regional sustainability priorities including improved air
quality, increased public private partnerships, and community based economic development.
Goals prioritize:
 Decreasing wasted energy for single family households
 Increasing the volume of homes that invest in energy efficiency upgrades
 Developing a coordinated system to provide comprehensive information and access to
resources for consumers
 Establish an actionable program integrating sustainability goals for The City of Pittsburgh,
Allegheny County, and The Urban Redevelopment Authority.
 Fuse common goals via The Metro Scale-Up Initiative to The Heinz Endowment’s Breathe
Project and The Pittsburgh Foundation’s Healthy Communities focus.
Key Strategies aim to:
 Conduct a widespread community engagement and education campaign, adaptive to
neighborhoods of different demographics, intentional about connecting people directly to
resources.
 Establish a universal online platform for all energy efficiency programs throughout
Allegheny County & The City of Pittsburgh to connect consumers to resources, including
financial incentives, a directory of service providers as well as utility tracking.
 Facilitate an inclusively offered and aggressively marketed financing program that offers
homeowners access to low-cost financing for energy efficiency home improvements.
 Coordinate private sector participation to ensure high-quality employment for workers from
traditionally underserved communities throughout Allegheny County focusing on
MWDBE’s.
Sustainability Priority Area(s):
Alternative Financing for Building Energy Efficiency