The renovation marks the Library’s 17th capital renovation and makes history as the soon-to-be first certified Passive House library in North America.
Pittsburgh, PA – Saturday, October 20, 2018 – Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) – Carrick officially opened to the public on October 20, 2018 as part of Carrick Community Day. The $4.34M project, following five years of planning and a year of renovation, was worth the wait. CLP – Carrick will soon be the first certified Passive House library in North America. Passive House is the world’s most rigorous standard for energy efficient construction – reducing building energy use by as much as 75%.
After requests from the public, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is making major moves in renovating its 19 public libraries. The choice to build a hyper-efficient Passive House library in Carrick came after a successful renovation of CLP – Hazelwood which incorporated Passive House to double the size of the space while conserving energy and lowering utility bills.
“We’re so excited to open our doors to a brand-new library for the Carrick community,” said Mary Frances Cooper, president and director of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. “The space has certainly transformed, offering double the space, more natural light and a community room overlooking the beautiful neighborhood. We’re looking forward to holding more programming for all ages and continuing to be a critical resource for literacy and learning.”
The newly opened location offers more comfortable spaces and is built to modern standards. CLP – Carrick, originally built in 1929, years before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), is now in compliance with the ADA and has a “very walkable” walk score of 72/100. In addition, the location will offer an adult reading area, a children’s area and a teen space equipped with public computers, free Wi-Fi and a large community gathering space for the public.
The community was key in informing the CLP – Carrick design plan, which was created in collaboration with Nicholson Kovalchick (NK) Architects and Thoughtful Balance. After interviewing everyone from maintenance staff to librarians to visitors, the architecture firms found the overarching desire was for a space with more connection to the outside and natural light. These aspects work well with Passive House construction; more windows allow for generous natural light while capturing solar heat, storm water conservation gives way to a more robust greenspace around th
e library, and the heat recovery ventilation system provides a constant flow of fresh, filtered air.
The newly opened library is an elevated space, built to last in an ever-changing Pittsburgh. More than a library, the newest role of CLP – Carrick is as a community hub offering robust learning opportunities from books to tech while working towards climate security for the future.
CLP – Carrick Library will be open Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesdays through Thursdays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., closed Sundays. For more information, visit www.carnegielibrary.org or call 412.882.3897.
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About Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – To Engage our Community in Literacy and Learning:
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is supporting individual achievement and strengthening the power of community. Through the community’s investment, the Library is enhancing the lives of people in the greater Pittsburgh region with dynamic and diverse resources such as creative learning programs for children and teens, job and career assistance for our community’s workforce, and free computer and Internet access for all. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh builds community, enables learning, provides access and values people.
Contact: Suzanne Thinnes | Manager, Communications | 412.578.2458 | Send Email
