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When Energize Pittsburgh launched, the goal was simple: help Pittsburgh homeowners lower their utility bills while making their homes safer, healthier, and more resilient. Over the past two years, this pilot program proved that we can tackle climate and housing challenges at the same time to create lasting change for local families.

A Powerful Partnership

Energize Pittsburgh was a collaboration between the City of Pittsburgh, Duquesne Light Company, ACTION-Housing, and Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh. Supported by local and national partners, we focused on neighbors facing the highest energy burdens (the percentage of income spent on utilities), especially those living in older homes that were never built to be efficient.

Rather than just fixing one thing, we took a “whole-home” approach. We paired energy upgrades like insulation and new appliances with critical home repairs. This ensured that investments would last, often fixing leaky roofs or outdated wiring before installing new, energy-saving technology.

By the end of 2025, we completed upgrades in 40 homes across 17 neighborhoods, helping families lower their bills, eliminate electrical hazards, and prepare their homes for future efficiency improvements for a cleaner energy future.

A Whole-Home Approach in Action

The true heart of the program is the homeowners we served. Dainna, a homeowner in East Hills, was navigating rising energy costs while welcoming a new baby and sending a daughter to college.

By combining Energize Pittsburgh with our broader repair programs, we completed nearly $70,000 in improvements at her home. This included a new roof, structural stabilization, and a 5.92 kW solar system. These changes didn’t just lower her bills; they made her home a stable, safe environment for her growing family.

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  Dainna's East Hills home received almost  $70,000 in free upgrades including a new roof, structural repairs, and a 5.92 kW solar panel system.
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  Through Energize Pittsburgh and our team at Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh, we were able to repair and update Dainna's home to better fit her growing family and future energy needs.
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  Professionals from Energize Pittsburgh and Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh were able to install many energy efficiency upgrades.

Results Where They Matter Most

Most households we served live on limited incomes, with an average household income of $23,415. For these families, every dollar saved on utilities is a dollar that can go toward food, medicine, or education.

Click to read more about our 2025 Energize Pittsburgh impact.

Who We Served

• 33 female heads of household
• 13 veterans
• 8 multi-generational households
• 4 individuals living with disabilities

Program Upgrades

• 19 high-efficiency heat pump systems
• 17 electrical service and panel upgrades
• 31 window replacements to keep heat in and cold out
• 8 heat pump dryers and water heaters installed

On average, we invested $11,310 per home. By layering our funding, we were able to bring in three additional dollars for every program dollar spent, allowing for deeper repairs that improved both safety and efficiency.

Building Local Capacity

We also used this pilot to grow Pittsburgh’s green economy. We worked with seven contractors, including three Minority and Women-Owned Business (MWBE) partners. Several of these professionals completed specialized training in heat pump installation, building the local workforce we need for a more sustainable future.

Looking Ahead

The Energize Pittsburgh pilot showed that reducing energy burden requires more than installing new equipment. Many homes in Pittsburgh are over a century old, and meaningful energy improvements often depend on addressing deferred maintenance first.

By pairing energy upgrades with critical repairs, we helped 40 families stabilize their homes and their budgets. These investments will continue to pay off through lower bills and better comfort for years to come.

The post Energize Pittsburgh: Strengthening Homes, Lowering Energy Burden appeared first on Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh.

For our very first episode, we’re telling a story that starts right here at home.

Episode 1: Building Better, Together: The E3 and RTP Story

What happens when you combine a passion for helping homeowners with the precision of a particle physicist? You get a powerful partnership that makes homes not just safer, but healthier and more affordable for decades to come.

In our debut episode, we sit down with Dr. Lucyna “Lucy” de Barbaro, the founder and director of Energy Efficiency Empowerment (E3). Lucy shares her incredible journey from studying physics at the Fermi National Lab to focusing her expertise on a critical issue here in Pittsburgh: the energy burden placed on families living in our region’s older, often inefficient housing stock.

As Lucy explains, her work is driven by a simple question: How can we make a real, measurable difference?

“My conviction that we ought to do work to prevent the worst of climate change and my background as a physicist, I think, motivate me to go for projects that make a difference and have a sizable impact.”

A Partnership Born at Rebuilding Together

One of the most exciting parts of this story is that it began right here. Lucy’s work evaluating RTP projects was the “impetus” for creating E3. She saw that while homes were being made safe, there was a huge opportunity to go deeper—to tackle the hidden costs of energy waste that burden low-income families long after the repairs are done.

This episode explores how our two organizations have created a perfect partnership:

• Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh brings our deep commitment to our neighbors, focusing on the homeowner with the “absolutely heartwarming approach” and care that Lucy admired.
• Energy Efficiency Empowerment (E3) brings the technical expertise, measurement tools (like infrared cameras and blower doors), and crucial gap funding to upgrade homes with high-performance windows, proper insulation, and efficient heat pump water heaters.

Together, we ensure a home isn’t just repaired for today, but is affordable, healthy, and sustainable for the future. As we discuss in the episode, this collaboration was essential for our recent Rehab for Resale project in Braddock, transforming a house that was “porous like a sieve” into a safe and efficient home for a new low-income buyer.

A Call to Action for Our Fellow Nonprofits

This episode has a special message for other leaders in the housing sector. Lucy makes a powerful case for why every nonprofit should make energy performance a non-negotiable part of every rehab project. It’s not just about the environment; it’s about financial stability and equity for the families we all serve.

“I would love for each project to be evaluated… Thinking across organizations about how we move our city on a more sustainable path… We ought to rally together around this issue. Especially now that we can also help build equity and help lower-income folks to be part of that movement toward cleaner energy use and lower emissions. They should not be left behind.”

Listen Now and Get Involved

Ready to be inspired? You can listen to the full conversation with Dr. Lucy de Barbaro now!

• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Listen on Amazon

Are you a leader at another nonprofit interested in making a deeper impact on your projects? Lucy invites you to connect with E3 directly.

• Energy Efficiency and Empowerment Email: info@eeepgh.org

Thank you for tuning in to Neighbor to Neighbor. Together, we can build a better Pittsburgh!

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Why Homeownership Matters in Pittsburgh: Beyond the New Build

For generations, homeownership in Pittsburgh has been a cornerstone of family generational wealth and neighborhood stability. Owning a home offers more than just a roof over your head; it provides:

• Financial Stability and Growth: Homeownership remains a powerful tool for building long-term wealth. As you pay down your mortgage and your property (hopefully) appreciates, you build equity: a valuable asset for the future, whether that’s plans for a family, retirement, or the next generation.
• A Sense of Community: Homeowners often develop deep roots in their neighborhoods. They are more likely to be involved locally, support area businesses, and contribute to the overall well-being of their community; a spirit that is quintessentially Pittsburgh.
• Personalization and Pride: Owning your home means having the freedom to create a space that truly reflects your personality and where lasting memories are made.

The Importance of Repairing and Revitalizing Existing Homes

In a city like Pittsburgh, with its rich architectural heritage and significant stock of older homes, preserving existing housing is just as crucial as new construction. This is where our work at Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh plays a vital role. We focus on repairing homes for vulnerable homeowners, including seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income families.

Why is this work so important?

• Addressing Aging Housing Stock: Many Pittsburgh homes, while full of character, require significant upkeep and repair. Addressing these needs helps ensure homes remain safe, healthy, and habitable for their residents.
• Maintaining Affordability: Repairing an existing home is often more cost-effective than building a new one, helping to keep housing affordable for long-term residents and preventing displacement.
• Neighborhood Revitalization: When homes are well-maintained, it benefits the entire neighborhood. It boosts community pride, improves property values, and contributes to the overall vibrancy and stability of the area. Investing in existing homes is an investment in the fabric of our communities.

Repairs Can be a Barrier to Continued Homeownership

While owning a home offers numerous benefits, the ongoing responsibility of maintenance and repairs can present significant challenges. For many families and seniors, especially those on fixed incomes, the cost of necessary repairs can become prohibitively expensive. A leaking roof, a failing furnace, or accessibility modifications can quickly escalate beyond a household’s budget, putting their ability to remain in their home at risk.

This is a critical issue in a city with an older housing stock like Pittsburgh. Fortunately, our free home repairs at Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh (RTP) directly address this challenge for those who need them most. These repairs are not minor fixes; they are often substantial investments that ensure safety, health, and accessibility. In fact, our average repair investment per home in 2024 was $31,608. This is a striking figure, especially when you consider that the average household income for the families and individuals served by our programs was $20,716. Without such assistance, many residents would face the heartbreaking possibility of having to leave their homes and communities. Our work is vital in helping folks stay in their homes, preserving not only individual households but also the fabric of our neighborhoods.

Innovative Paths to Homeownership: Our Rehab for Resale Model

Beyond critical repair work, RTP also champions innovative solutions to increase homeownership opportunities through our Rehab for Resale (R4R) program. This initiative strategically buys and renovates vacant or distressed properties, transforming them into safe, healthy, and energy-efficient homes. These revitalized houses are then sold at affordable prices to low-to-moderate-income families and individuals, offering a direct pathway to homeownership.

Our R4R program is critical because it:

• Tackles Blight and Vacancy: By rehabilitating derelict properties, the program directly addresses issues of blight, improving neighborhood aesthetics and safety.
• Increases Affordable Housing Inventory: In a competitive market, R4R creates move-in ready, affordable homes, expanding options for families who might otherwise be priced out.
• Promotes Sustainable Communities: Renovating existing structures is an environmentally conscious approach that utilizes existing infrastructure and contributes to the density and walkability of Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods.

Navigating Your Path in Pittsburgh

While the benefits are clear, the journey to homeownership, or even maintaining one, can seem daunting. Fortunately, numerous resources are available:

• Local Champions: Alongside our efforts at Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh, organizations like Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh and Action Housing offer affordable homeownership programs. Catapult Greater Pittsburgh provides financial counseling and support.
• Government and Non-Profit Assistance: The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) offers programs that can help with down payments and closing costs. State resources from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) and national support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are also crucial.

Celebrating, Preserving, and Taking Action

National Homeownership Month in Pittsburgh is an opportunity to:

• Educate Yourself: If you’re considering buying a home, or if you’re a homeowner needing repairs, research the resources available. Attend workshops and connect with housing counselors.
• Support Local Efforts: Consider volunteering with or donating to organizations like ours at Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh that are making a tangible difference in preserving homes and creating new homeowners.
• Advocate for Housing Solutions: Stay informed about local and state housing policies that promote affordable housing, support home repair initiatives, and foster neighborhood revitalization.

This June, let’s celebrate not only the dream of owning a home but also the critical work of preserving and revitalizing Pittsburgh’s unique housing stock and creating safe and healthy homes for all. Whether you’re a current homeowner, an aspiring one, or someone passionate about community development, National Homeownership Month is a perfect time to reflect on what it means to have a safe, healthy, and affordable place to call your own in the vibrant city of Pittsburgh.

Want to help? Consider making a gift to Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh today.

The post Owning and Preserving Your Piece of Home: Celebrating Pittsburgh Homeownership Month appeared first on Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh.

We’re looking forward to partnering with Neighborhood Allies to deliver the renovations highlighted in this article. The work represents a critical commitment to equity in rebuilding the communities that have been hardest hit by the pandemic.

Neighborhood Allies supports people and organizations by providing onramps to prosperity through capital programs and strategic resources, connects community builders together to forge stronger networks and collaborations that drive transformative change, and impacts the community by co-creating solutions to long-term social problems. Using their Healthy Neighborhoods Framework as a roadmap, they make and support neighborhood-based investments that seed creative community ideas.

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“I applaud the work that Tri-COG Land Bank and Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh are doing to not only provide first time homeownership opportunities for Pittsburgh families, but also their efforts to acquire and rehabilitate properties to remediate blight,” said Evan Zuverink, Vice President and CRA Officer at First Commonwealth Bank. “At First Commonwealth Bank, we look forward to being a partner in this project and helping support these organizations, families, and communities they serve.”

“FHLBank Pittsburgh is proud to serve our members, like First Commonwealth Bank, and support affordable housing in our region,” said Megan Krider, Manager of Affordable Housing and Community Development at FHLBank of Pittsburgh. “This work with community partners including Tri-COG Land Bank and Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh has created more homeownership opportunities for local families.”

TCLB acquired the Rankin property in March of 2021 and the East Pittsburgh property in December of 2020. Following their acquisition, TCLB pursued a legal process called Quiet Title Action to ensure that the houses would be eligible for title insurance. Title insurance protects the new buyers from being held liable for debts incurred by previous owners. TCLB also helped to stabilize the properties by maintaining the exterior, cutting grass, and clearing brush. It is currently renovating another property in East Pittsburgh on the same street.

“As Councilwoman of Rankin, I welcome this renovation,” said Geneva Parks. “It will bring revenue to Rankin, beautify and improve our community.”

This sale marks the 25th property that TCLB has sold since it was founded in 2017. Most properties take at least 18 months to acquire and sell due to the legal requirements involved with buying properties at Sheriff Sale and the other court proceedings required to provide title insurance to buyers. As a designated land bank operating under the PA Land Bank Act, TCLB is better equipped to overcome legal barriers and identify buyers that align with local community goals.

“In our first few years of operation, we focused our energy on putting the necessary systems in place to manage properties and navigate the legal requirements to clear and insure titles,” said An Lewis, Executive Director of TCLB. “Now that our core processes are solidified, we are excited about expanding our impact through trusted partnerships with organizations like Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh. Partnerships are critical because often the communities that we work in require multiple interventions. Being able to offer those interventions at the same time in a coordinated fashion makes the impact greater and the improvements more sustaining.”

In 2022, TCLB and RTP will be building on their partnership as part of a larger collaborative that also includes City of Bridges Community Land Trust, Steel Rivers Council of Governments, and Turtle Creek Valley Council of Governments. With funding from the Forbes Funds, these organizations are developing a scalable model to work together to revitalize communities and recover blighted properties for community reuse.

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About Tri-COG Land Bank

Founded in 2017, Tri-COG Land Bank (TCLB) revitalizes neighborhoods by transitioning vacant, blighted properties to beneficial reuse. TCLB partners with local municipalities, community development corporations, nonprofits, and individuals to strategically align purchases with each community’s priorities and plans.

TCLB currently operates in 26 municipalities: Blawnox, Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, Clairton, Dravosburg, East McKeesport, East Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Etna, Forest Hills, Glassport, McKeesport, Millvale, Monroeville, North Braddock, North Versailles, Pitcairn, Port Vue, Rankin, Sharpsburg, South Versailles, Swissvale, Turtle Creek, White Oak, and Wilkins.

For more information, please visit https://tricoglandbank.org/. Photos of the properties described in this release are available at https://www.facebook.com/tricoglandbank

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“RTP’s dedication to improving the lives of the community is important to our members,” said Claire Cawley, an organizer for District Council 57 (DC57). “We like to get into the communities where we work and live and contribute to making them better.” DC57 is an organization of more than 2,500 skilled trades members across 32 counties of western Pennsylvania, with a range of age, race, and gender.

District Council 57 has partnered with RTP since 2016 on volunteer events. Most recently, they participated in a Day of Action on Patriot’s Day, September 11, by repairing water damage from a leaking roof. RTP replaced the roof but didn’t have the budget to finish the project. Ten professionals from the union donated time, skill, and materials to replace and paint the damaged drywall and complete repair work on the McKeesport home of a grateful Navy veteran.

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