1. Sustainability
  2. Our Timeline
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  5. Our Timeline

Our timeline of Sustainability

2019

  • We installed six electric vehicle charging stations in Pittsburgh and four in Wilkes-Barre with $40,000 in state grants.
  • We won in the large company category of the Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge, formerly Green Workplace Challenge, for the third consecutive year.

2018

  • Fifth Avenue Place receives the ENERGY STAR recertification and meets the 2030 District energy goal of 50 percent reduction of energy use below baseline by 2030.

2017

  • We are recognized by Sustainable Pittsburgh as the winner in the large company category of the Green Workplace Challenge for the second year. Additionally, we won Top Water Saver in the competition.
  • Three facilities are recertified for ENERGY STAR, signifying that over 80 percent of Highmark's owned office space is among the most energy efficient nationwide.

2016

  • We achieve ENERGY STAR certification for Highmark West Virginia headquarters, Highmark Health's corporate headquarters in Pittsburgh, and recertification for Center Street, signifying that over 80 percent of Highmark's owned office space is among the most energy efficient nationwide.

2015

  • We are recognized by Sustainable Pittsburgh as the winner in the large company category of the Green Workplace Challenge for its achievements related to energy conservation, its support of bicycling initiatives and its other environmental efforts.
  • We achieve recognition as a "bicycle friendly business" from the League of American Bicyclists — bronze level for Highmark West Virignia headquarters and silver level for Highmark's Pittsburgh location.

2014

2013

  • We achieve 20,000 tree donations through the Arbor Day Foundation, who we have been partnering with to plant trees since 2010.

2012

  • We achieve ENERGY STAR certification at our data center facility and Center Street location, signifying that the facilities are in the top 25 percent of energy efficient buildings among similar buildings nationwide.
  • We become a founding partner of the Pittsburgh 2030 District, a community of high performance buildings in downtown Pittsburgh whose goals include 50 percent reductions of transportation emissions and energy and water consumption by the year 2030.
  • Our company joins 150 other organizations of the Breathe Project, a coalition of community and business partners in southwestern Pennsylvania dedicated to improving the region's air quality.

2011

  • Our energy savings projects like lighting upgrades and the installation of variable frequency drives throughout our corporate headquarters save over 1.5 million kWh per year with an average return on investment of less than two years.
  • TreeVitalize Pittsburgh plants 19 new native species trees around Fifth Avenue Place. Thanks to a grant from the Colcom Foundation and our company's support, ten of the newly planted trees use Silva Cell technology that allow trees to retain more water and roots to grow healthier without damaging the sidewalk.

2010

2009

  • Working with our food services partner, Parkhurst Dining, we eliminate Styrofoam use from all employee cafeterias.
  • We celebrate our first company-wide Earth Day with educational fairs attended by more than 1,100 employees.
  • Highmark West Virginia's 127,000 square-foot headquarters in Parkersburg achieves LEED Silver Certification for New Construction.

2008

  • We debut our 22,000 square-foot green roof at Fifth Avenue Place in Pittsburgh and our company is named the #1 Green IT Company by Computer World.

2007

  • We hire our first sustainability coordinator.

2005

  • We build an award-winning 87,000 square-foot data center near Hershey, Pa., achieving LEED Silver Certification for New Construction. At the time, this data center was one of the first data centers certified under the LEED rating system.

1990s

  • We locate offices in Penn Avenue Place, which were designed and renovated based upon green building principles before there was a LEED rating system. The building, a turn of the last century department store, was renovated as opposed to being torn down and rebuilt. Other renovations include energy efficient lighting; paints, carpets, and finishes with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs); an atrium to bring in natural light; and bike racks for employees and guests.