Pittsburgh: A Sustainable Travel Destination

While Pittsburgh was once the poster child of industrial pollution, the successful urban environmental transformation over the last half-century has become a case study in sustainability. In fact, Architectural Digest recognized Pittsburgh as one of the most climate-resilient cities in the U.S. in 2023. It’s fitting that the birthplace of renowned environmentalist Rachel Carson has followed in her footsteps to set an example by renewing, reclaiming and redeveloping its environment through a series of lasting public-private partnerships going back more than 65 years—from the first air quality legislation to robust reclamation of Brownfield sites and river cleanups—and now ranks among the top cities in the United States for green-certified building space.

As the front door and first impression for millions of annual travelers to the Pittsburgh region, Pittsburgh International Airport is currently undergoing a Terminal Modernization Program with plans to reveal new airport facilities in 2025 that will aim to comply with LEED® Silver certification, better reflect and serve the community, inspire the industry and advance the region’s role as a world leader in innovation.

Beyond the new terminal, airport leaders are continuously improving facilities both on and around the airfield, with intentions of reducing overall energy, emissions, water and waste across airport facilities by 2030. In fact, in 2021, Pittsburgh International became the first airport in the world completely powered by an independent, first-of-its-kind microgrid with nearly 10,000 solar panels and using on-site natural gas, increasing resilience and maximizing public safety.

When planning accommodations in Pittsburgh, travelers have a wide array of comfortable and environmentally friendly hotels. Downtown, the luxury Fairmont Hotel, Pittsburgh's first LEED® Gold hotel, attracts many out-of-towners for its beautiful design and locals for its event spaces and restaurant. Other notable options include The Industrialist Hotel, Kimpton Hotel Monaco, EVEN Hotel, Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel and more.

Once settled and ready to explore, visitors are encouraged to take to the streets to experience Pittsburgh’s natural beauty, unique terrain and diverse offerings at every turn. Pittsburgh is incredibly walkable with more than 180 miles of trails throughout the nine Allegheny County Parks, 700+ public stairways and numerous walkable bridges.

Among the trails and parks along the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers, visitors will find evidence of the Pittsburgh Redbud Project, an exciting initiative of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy planting more than 3,500 flowering Eastern redbud trees over the past five years. In addition to the pretty blooms and flowers that can be view in the spring and summer months, the Pittsburgh Redbud Project has undertaken riparian buffer restoration efforts along the three rivers. Since 2016, non-native, invasive plants are being replaced with thousands of native trees, shrubs and perennial plants that are providing food and habitat for wildlife and improving water and air quality.

Western Pennsylvania also has become one of the nation's best examples of rails-to-trails conversion, with hundreds of miles of rail trails, including the Great Allegheny Passage, which links Pittsburgh with Washington, D.C., and stands out as one of the country's great trail systems.

Plus, Pittsburgh has become known as a city that supports and encourages bicycling, with bike-accessible hotels and public transportation, an easy-to-use bikeshare system and a devoted community of cyclists. In fact, some of Pittsburgh’s most famous guided tours allow visitors to explore the city’s 90 unique neighborhoods by foot or bike, like Bike the Burgh and ‘Burgh Bits and Bites Food Tour! There are plenty of self-guided options as well, including Downtown walking tours, gallery crawls and even a Green Building Walking Tour.

Beyond trails and parks, many area businesses and must-see Only in Pittsburgh attractions embody the region’s commitment to the environment.

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ Center for Sustainable Landscapes has obtained seven of the highest green certifications, including being one of the world's first certified living buildings, a model of sustainability for architects, scientists, planners and anyone interested in living greener.

The Heinz History Center, the first Smithsonian property to earn a LEED certification, was restored to open the history center in 1996, preserving existing materials to support values of both history and sustainability. More recently installed solar panels provide renewable energy to the building.

Pittsburgh Glass Center was designed as a green building and earned its LEED Gold certification in 2006, recognizing excellence in energy efficiency, water use and air quality. Building elements such as garage doors, glass paneling and exposed brick are not only recycled, but also give PGC its unique urban-industrial style. Plus, portions of its energy come from wind power and waste heat from the glass furnaces is used to heat the building during the winter months.

After getting your fill of Only in Pittsburgh attractions, sustainably minded travelers won’t have any trouble finding a place to relax and have a drink or grab a bite to eat. From vegan, vegetarian or locally-sourced options to sustainably-produced craft beverages, popular sustainable dining options include Bridges & Bourbon, ShuBrew, The Porch at Schenley, Burgh’ers Brewing and more. For dessert, try Leona’s Super Premium Ice Cream or Millie's Homemade Ice Cream. Need a boost? Grab bird-friendly, artisan coffee from Redstart Roasters.

For additional relaxation, visit The Pittsburgh Center for Complementary Health and Healing, an award-winning environmentally friendly wellness spa dedicated to peace and relaxation.

Prefer to shop until you drop? From traditional thrift shops and vintage gems to upcycled materials, Pittsburgh has a variety of businesses to satisfy those looking to take home a sustainable memento to remember their trip. WOC-owned Knotzland Bowties creates low-waste, high-fashion bowties and other sustainable treasures by recycling textile discards. Hey Betty! Vintage Clothing is a popular vintage store with an ever-changing assortment that receives regular visits from actors and costume designers filming in the Pittsburgh area, including Oscar winner Frances McDormand, Robert Downey Jr., Dakota Fanning and more. Free Ride Pittsburgh is a volunteer-run DIY Bicycle Collective that saves used bikes from landfills, and not only do they repair and sell bikes, but they also are always happy to share biking knowledge to help patrons better get around the city in an effective and sustainable way.

Pittsburgh also is home to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center (DLCC), which holds the highest rating for LEED® Platinum Certification in the United States, making it a premier 1.5 million square-foot venue for conventions, meetings, sports events and public shows. From recycling to product use to conserving natural resources, including water, energy and air quality, a commitment to sustainability is made with each event held at the convention center, ensuring a reduced carbon impact.