Sustainability Utilities Dashboard

Climate Action in Allegheny County

Climate Change is daunting, but actions at the local level can mobilize the community towards common goals that will reduce our collective carbon footprint. Our carbon footprint is the shared impact that our actions have on the environment, such as driving gasoline powered vehicles and using nonrenewable sources of energy. The Allegheny County Climate Action Plan will include ways to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change, including strategies for county government and for the county as a whole.

From April 2025 to July 2026, the Allegheny County Sustainability Department will work with a team of experts to create its first Climate Action Plan. The process is designed to engage people who live in the county, local organizations, business owners, and government agencies. Informed by community input and robust data analysis, the team will create a plan that is aspirational yet achievable.

Part of this initiative aims to create new jobs, help people save money on energy bills, support local businesses, protect parks and natural areas, and improve people's health. All of this will make life better for everyone in Allegheny County.

The Sustainability Utilities Dashboard presented here shows the impact of Allegheny County government’s efforts to operate more sustainably and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Overview of the Sustainability Utilities Dashboard

Allegheny County tracks the electric, natural gas, water, and steam consumption in the buildings it owns and/or operates. This includes the Allegheny County Courthouse, the Medical Examiner’s Office, the Allegheny County Jail, the main facilities in the County Parks, and others. This dashboard shows both the use and the cost of utilities in these facilities.

Some county facilities, such as those in the parks, share utility meters. These spaces are shown as campuses, with all utility data aggregated. Not all utilities (electric, natural gas, water, and steam) are provided to each facility; therefore, data may not be available for all buildings or campuses.

The County’s Departments of Sustainability and Facilities Management work together to implement energy and water efficiency projects to reduce both consumption and cost. In 2025, these departments conducted ASHRAE Level II Energy Audits for 11 County buildings to develop a strategic plan for capital investment with the goal of reducing energy and waste, as well as carbon emissions.

ASHRAE Level II Energy Audits review mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems within building, along with the building envelope. This review process provides recommended energy conservation measures that can be implemented to reduce utility costs and improve efficiency within the building. Examples include window replacements; LED lighting and occupancy sensors; low flow faucets and toilets; changes to system controls; and replacement of heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment.

Utility Type

Electricity

Electricity powers systems such as lighting, air conditioning units, and appliances across county facilities, and is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh)

Natural Gas

Natural gas is primarily used as a heat source in county facilities. It is measured in thousand cubic feet (Mcf).

Steam

There are five buildings owned by the county that utilize steam as a fuel source for heating and hot water. This steam is generated in one of two steam plants, one located in the County Office Building, and the other located in the County Jail. Steam is measured in kilopounds (klbs).

Water

Water is an essential resource, used for recreation facilities and building operations across the county. Outside of the pools and spray parks, water is mainly consumed in restrooms and kitchen facilities. Water is also used as part of building cooling systems in larger county facilities during summer months. In the dashboard, water usage is shown in kilogallons (kgal).

The Greenhouse Effect & Climate Change

Greenhouse gases (GHG), such as carbon dioxide and methane, trap heat from the sun to keep Earth at a temperature that can support life. Human actions such as the burning of fossil fuels release additional greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This causes an accelerated warming of Earth’s surface temperature – which we refer to as climate change. The ocean and trees store carbon dioxide, but levels are becoming too high to maintain a stable system.

Climate Change is the long-term impact of increasing GHG emissions that accelerate global temperature rise and negatively impact life as we know it on Earth.

Impacts you may see in your day-to-day life from climate change:

• More severe storms & power outages (The April 29th, 2025 storms in Allegheny County)
• Hotter summers, and less distinction between seasons
• Increasing energy bills due to extreme weather
• Increasing food prices due to droughts and weather changes
• Negative health impacts (Smoke from Canadian wildfires affect air quality, for instance)

The GHG emissions, measured in Metric Tons of equivalent carbon dioxide (MTeCO2), shown in the dashboard are limited to emissions from electric, natural gas and steam usage within county owned facilities and do not include emissions from leased buildings. Additional carbon emissions data related to county operations are being calculated as part of the Climate Action Plan and will be published once compiled.

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