Alex Co: What is your role in your organization and in Pittsburgh?
Patty Culley: I am a senior associate with Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, an award-winning national architecture firm that excels in celebrating the spirit of place. Through my volunteer efforts with the Education Committee at the AIA Pittsburgh and as a Facilitator for the Pittsburgh Living Future Collaborative, I help to advance Pittsburgh to the forefront of sustainable design.
AC: What are you most excited about at this year’s Living Product Expo?
PC: I am most excited about the brilliant and diverse group of keynote speakers selected for this year’s Expo. Each one will bring their own unique experiences and vision that, as a whole, will no doubt be quite impactful.
AC: Can you give us a taste of what you’ll be talking about in your session at the Expo?
PC: I am excited to be presenting, along with Pauline Souza, Chris Klehm, and Courtney Lorenz, two schools of varying scale, Sonoma Academy and Waldorf School of Pittsburgh, both of which are currently pursuing the Materials Petal of the Living Building Challenge. The presentation will represent perspectives from both design and construction, of what is necessary to tackle the challenges and reap the benefits of materials transparency.
AC: Where do you think we should be focusing as a sustainable Pittsburgh region in 2018?
PC: Stormwater management is one of the most important and difficult challenges facing the Pittsburgh region today. With an overburdened and antiquated City sewer system, combined sewer overflow threatens the health of our water. The 2016 City-Wide Green First Plan addressed this challenge, yet it requires considerable resources to implement and oversee. Tackling this issue successfully will require enormous effort and thoughtful collaborations.
AC: If you’ve been to the Living Product Expo before, what’s your favorite thing about the conference?
PC: The Living Product Expo convenes the most innovative minds within product design and manufacturing and makes them accessible to an audience motivated to enact change.
AC: What’s the most exciting thing that has happened to you in the past few years?
PC: This year has brought the long-awaited certification of the Frick Environmental Center as a Living Building, and the start of a new LBC project for the Waldorf School of Pittsburgh pursuing Petal Certification. The enthusiasm with which Pittsburgh has embraced the highest standard of building performance should be a model for all cities.
