PPG Donates Paint, Glass To Spruce Up Phipps Conservatory For G-20

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will welcome the G-20 leaders and their spouses to Pittsburgh at Phipps on Thursday, Sept. 24. Afterward, President Obama and the G-20 leaders will remain at the conservatory for a working dinner.
 
The Starphire ultra-clear glass was used to replace several panes in the Phipps’ Tropical Forest, while the donated paint was used for "touch-ups" throughout the facility.
 
“Phipps Conservatory leads North America’s 500 public gardens in eco-smart practices, sustainable advancements and building ‘green.’ This distinction is due, in large part, to some of the paint and glass from PPG that comprise our structure,” said Richard V. Piacentini, the conservatory’s executive director. “We’re very pleased to have such a strong relationship with PPG, and we’re grateful for the help as we prepare to host the G-20 leaders.”
 
“We want to make sure that Phipps – and Pittsburgh – shine during the G-20 Summit, and we’re pleased to be able to provide all of the paint, glass and other support that Phipps needs to ‘redd up,’” said Victoria M. Holt, PPG senior vice president, glass and fiber glass, and member of the board of trustees of Phipps Conservatory.
 
Phipps Conservatory’s Special Events Center also includes glass manufactured by PPG. The complex, which adjoins the award-winning Tropical Forest, is enclosed with Solarban 70XL solar control, low-emissivity glass. This glass transmits 64 percent of the sun’s natural light while blocking 73 percent of its solar energy making it 29 percent more energy-efficient than competitors’ products. As a result, the glass saves energy, cuts costs and reduces the cooling capacity and equipment requirements for buildings.
 
Pittsburgh Paints Pure Performance paint is an environmentally-conscious paint line with zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The paints feature minimal odor during application and drying as well as mildew resistance on the paint film. Pure Performance paint is the first paint to receive Green Seal Class A Certification.
 
About Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
For Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, the past is prologue to a future as ingenious as the region it serves. Built as a repository of horticultural excellence by Henry W. Phipps in 1893 at the height of Pittsburgh’s industrial prowess, Phipps has evolved from the nation’s first teaching conservatory to a distinguished eco-champion among America’s 500 public gardens and an exhibit space ranked among the nation’s top conservatory experiences. The transformation of Phipps’ Victorian glasshouse jewel into a pace-setting model for advanced green building practices, sustainable development and environmental awareness has resulted in 12 prestigious awards.
 
Esteemed as the Green Heart of Pittsburgh and one of the world’s greenest public gardens, Phipps is empowered by its mission to inspire and educate visitors with the beauty and importance of plants; to advance sustainability and worldwide biodiversity through action and research; and to celebrate its historic glasshouse. For more information, visit www.phipps.conservatory.org.
 
About PPG
Pittsburgh-based PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, specialty materials, chemicals, glass and fiber glass. The company has more than 140 manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates and operates in more than 60 countries. Sales in 2008 were $15.8 billion. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: PPG). For more information, visit www.ppg.com.