The Bridge on Forbes

The Bridge on Forbes is a $40 million, 197 unit and 498 bed residential building in the heart of Pittsburgh’s Central Oakland neighborhood—home to several universities. The project fills a gap in the local student housing market, providing furnished student apartments in a walkable setting.

A modern addition to the Forbes Avenue corridor, the design for The Bridge on Forbes pays homage to Pittsburgh’s past while respecting the future. Exposed steel beams are thoughtfully chosen to reflect the city’s industrial heritage and the exterior yellow paneling peppered throughout the facade is a nod to Pittsburgh’s iconic bridges.

evolveEA as sustainability consultants led The Bridge on Forbes project team to achieve LEED Gold for New Construction. The building features high recycled content in the materials used and a robust ongoing recycling program complete with a centralized sorting room. Low-VOC materials were intentionally acquired with the students health and wellbeing in mind, and the carpet tiling ushers in biophilic associations of evocative natural forms.

Compared to a baseline building of similar size and location, the water and energy simulation at The Bridge resulted in:
25% reduction in electricity usage
26% less natural gas consumption
22% energy cost savings, and a
35% water reduction

As part of one of the densest corridors in the Pittsburgh region and third largest business district in Pennsylvania, this project qualified for density bonuses granted by the City of Pittsburgh due to its LEED certification.