Case Study: University of Pennsylvania achieves sustainable, low-carbon historic renovations with Trimble e-Builder

University of Pennsylvania Sustainable Design Meets Historic Preservation

The University of Pennsylvania faces the challenge of advancing ambitious sustainability goals on a historic campus that dates to 1740. Balancing preservation with modern performance, Penn requires all projects to meet at least LEED Silver through a rigorous RFP process while managing budget constraints and reducing embodied carbon as part of its Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0, which targets a 40% reduction in emissions.

Penn’s Facilities and Real Estate Services has driven solutions by prioritizing adaptive reuse (e.g., Perelman Center), installing green roofs, and specifying low‑carbon materials like mass timber for a new data science building. Using e-Builder for project management reduced paper waste and improved efficiency; the campus now counts 18 LEED Gold, 9 LEED Silver, and 1 LEED Platinum projects, and is achieving measurable reductions in embodied and operational carbon while lowering operating costs and supporting recruitment.

University of Pennsylvania