The Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation (MCSI), part of Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering, is located in Benedum Hall. MCSI is a center of excellence in sustainable engineering focusing on the design of sustainable neighborhoods.
In renovating Benedum Hall to create the Mascaro Center addition, green building practices were used. A LEED gold certification was achieved for design practices including installation of highly efficient, long-lasting LED lights on the exterior that contain no mercury; specialized moneysaving mechanical controls on lab equipment; a reflective thermoplastic polyolefin, or TPO, roof that minimizes heat absorption; and more than 95 percent of construction refuse recycled. Additionally, two green roofs were installed—over Benedum Plaza and over the auditorium.
LEED Gold certification, 2012.