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Cities / Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

United States

Pittsburgh is projected to face more frequent heatwaves, leading to significant challenges for public health and urban infrastructure. In response, the city has developed a comprehensive portfolio of technology-enabled climate resilience solutions. These include fleet electrification and charging systems in transportation, ensuring reduced emissions and enhanced mobility. The implementation of decision support tools aids in climate adaptation planning and urban planning, fostering improved preparedness. Energy-related initiatives feature battery storage for reliable backup power, along with hardening of energy assets and distribution grids. Additionally, building management systems focus on energy efficiency and demand response, addressing energy supply during peak demand. Together, these current and proposed actions facilitate a robust approach to resilience, promoting sustainability and enhancing community well-being in an increasingly warming climate.

Hazard Outlook

How will Pittsburgh's projected climate hazards compare to other cities under a 3.0°C future warming scenario?

Maximum Rainfall

52nd percentile Elevated exposure

Pittsburgh's projected maximum rainfall of 11 mm is higher than most cities globally.

Pittsburgh
0.0 Lower → Higher 35

Maximum Temperature

40th percentile Moderate exposure

Pittsburgh's projected maximum temperature of 9.2°C is near the median of cities globally under a 3.0°C warming scenario.

Pittsburgh
5.0 Cooler → Hotter 13

Heavy Rainfall Days

34th percentile Moderate exposure

With 10 days of heavy rainfall expected, Pittsburgh ranks near the median of cities for extreme precipitation events.

Pittsburgh
0.0 Fewer → More 36

Longest Heatwave

8th percentile Lower exposure

Pittsburgh may experience heatwaves lasting up to 3 days, lower than most other cities.

Pittsburgh
0.0 Shorter → Longer 92

Elevation

76th percentile Lower exposure

At 339 m elevation, Pittsburgh faces lower risk from coastal flooding and sea level rise.

Pittsburgh
-8.0 Lower → Higher 4k

Exposure Summary

Max Rain
Max Temp
Heavy Rain
Heatwave
Elevation

Adaptation Priorities

Pittsburgh faces elevated exposure to max rain. These areas may warrant priority attention in adaptation planning.

Data source: Climate projections from the IPCC AR6 scenario analysis. See our methodology for details on how we process and interpret this data.

Deployed Solutions

Deployed climate adaptation technologies identified in Pittsburgh.

Energy Intelligence Network with Real-Time Demand Response Monitoring

This approach leverages enhanced data collection and monitoring infrastructure to enable businesses and institutions to strategically reduce...

District Energy Systems and Microgrid Network

Pittsburgh has developed an extensive network of district energy systems and microgrids designed to modernize the city's aging electrical...

Grid-Independent Solar EV Charging with Battery Backup

Pittsburgh has developed a network of resilient electric vehicle charging stations that operate independently from the electrical grid through solar...

Triple Bottom Line Analysis Tool for Green Infrastructure Assessment

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority employed Impact Infrastructure's AUTOCASE tool to conduct triple bottom line analysis that incorporated...

Off-Grid Solar EV Charging Stations with Emergency Power Backup

Pittsburgh deployed five portable, solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations manufactured by Envision Solar that operate independently from...

Recommended Solutions

Proven solutions from similar cities that could help diversify Pittsburgh's resilience portfolio

Heat Emergency Registry and Surveillance System
84%
From: St. Louis

The St. Louis Department of Health utilizes a specialized database of residents who may require assistance during emergencies, combined with surveillance systems to monitor public safety during heat events.
GIS-Based Urban Tree Inventory and Management System
84%
From: St. Louis

The City of St. Louis Forestry Division maintains an active database of trees that it manages, with a GIS-based inventory for street trees and nearly all of the City's larger parks.
Citizen Science Mobile Heat Mapping with Vehicle-Mounted Sensors
84%
From: Boston

With the help of the Museum of Science, volunteers attached temperature sensors to their cars and bikes to collect data in Boston, Cambridge and Brookline.
Crowdsourced Property Condition Survey Using Street-Level Photography
78%
From: New Orleans

New Orleans developed a rapid property condition survey methodology that captures street-level photography using car-mounted cameras and engages community members to evaluate each parcel through a crowdsourcing application.
Healthcare Resilience Through Electronic Records & Facility Preparedness
78%
From: New York

New York has implemented a comprehensive healthcare resilience strategy centered on electronic health records systems, telecommunication infrastructure redundancy, and facility preparedness protocols to protect medical services during climate-related disasters.
Rockaway Peninsula Gas Infrastructure Resilience Program
78%
From: New York

National Grid commenced a program in the Rockaway Peninsula to make its gas system more resilient through accelerated replacement of leak-prone mains and installation of automated meters and other devices.
Liquid Fuel Asset Database for Metropolitan Energy Infrastructure
78%
From: New York

The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) developed a database of liquid fuel assets in the New York metropolitan region.
Downscaled Regional Climate Modeling for Local Projections
79%
From: Austin

The City of Austin's Office of Sustainability collaborated with ATMOS Research, led by Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, to develop geographically specific climate models for Austin through 2100 using the Camp Mabry Weather Station.
City Resilience Index Monitoring Framework
78%
From: New Orleans

The City of New Orleans piloted the City Resilience Index (CRI) to serve as a holistic framework for monitoring across sectors and scales.
Building-Scale Hydrodynamic Flood Modeling with Sea Level Rise Scenarios
78%
From: New York

New York City employs advanced building-scale hydrodynamic modeling to simulate coastal flooding induced by historical hurricanes under various 21st-century sea level rise scenarios.