Sustainable Rebuilding

Within days of the tornado, Greensburg committed to rebuild better, stronger and greener.  But what does that actually mean?

For Greensburg, it means designing and building structures that will endure for generations, and be environmentally sound.  Two ways we embrace this building philosophy are by using alternative energy sources, as well as energy-saving fixtures.  The results mean a more efficient use of natural resources as well as reduced operating and maintenance costs for many public buildings and homes throughout the city.

6 Ways We Put the “Green” in Greensburg 

¨ Greensburg is home to the most LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings per capita in the U.S.;

¨ Several new buildings are built with reclaimed materials such as wood and brick, making good use of salvaged products and saving valuable landfill space; 

¨ Greensburg is the first U.S. city to use all LED streetlights;

¨ Greensburg is 100% renewable, 100% of the time.  All of the electricity in the city is generated by wind energy;

¨ We place a priority on water conservation and reuse.  Throughout Greensburg, we save millions of gallons of water by using low-flow fixtures, incorporating native plantings in our landscaping and collecting rainwater that is reused in irrigation and, in some facilities, as gray water in toilets;

¨ Greensburg provides single-stream curbside recycling throughout the city.