PPG Industries announced that three of its environmentally advanced low-emissivity (low-e) glasses were instrumental in helping the Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL) at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Pittsburgh, win the Innovative Star Award in the Alliance to Save Energy’s 2014 Star of Energy Efficiency awards. The alliance, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that promotes worldwide energy efficiency, presented the awards in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 23.

The CSL – which was constructed with Solarban 60 solar control, low-emissivity (low-e) glass, Starphire ultra-clear glass and Sungate 500 passive, low-e glass – was designed to achieve net-zero energy usage and to become one of the world’s first certified “living” buildings.

The 24,000-square-foot structure, which opened in 2012, features triple-pane insulating glass units (IGUs) fabricated with Sungate 500 and Solarban 60 glasses in combination with Starphire glass. As part of an integrated energy management system, the IGUs provide solar and thermal control to reduce heating and air-conditioning use while maximizing daylighting to limit the use of artificial lighting.

The CSL, which houses research and education programs at the conservatory, earned Net Zero Energy Building Certification from the International Future Living Institute’s Living Building Challenge program in 2014, and it is pursuing full certification from the organization. The CSL also achieved LEED certification at the Platinum level from the U.S. Green Building Council and a four-star rating from the Sustainable Site Initiative program.