News Story
March 23, 2016
La Roche College to Host 2016 Global Problems, Global Solutions Conference
PITTSBURGH, March 22, 2016 – From April 20 to 22, La Roche University will partner with Brother’s Brother Foundation to host the 11th annual Global Problems, Global Solutions conference.
This year the Global Problems, Global Solutions conference will discuss progress, plans and initiatives related to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Established in September 2015, the new sustainable development agenda seeks to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years.
Richard V. Piacentini, executive director of Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, will deliver the keynote address, “A Pathway to Environmental Sustainability,” on Thursday, April 21 in the Zappala College Center Square at La Roche’s main campus in the North Hills. Registration begins at 6 p.m., with the general session following at 6:30 p.m. and a reception of dessert and coffee afterward.
Since 1994, Mr. Piacentini has guided Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens from public to private management and led the green transformation of its facilities and operations, including: the opening of the first LEED®-certified visitor’s center in a public garden; the first LEED-certified greenhouses (LEED Platinum EBOM); construction of the Tropical Forest Conservatory; a SEED Classroom designed to meet the Living Building Challenge; and the Center for Sustainable Landscapes, a net-zero energy and water building, and the first building in the world to simultaneously meet four of the most rigorous green building standards: the Living Building Challenge™, LEED® Platinum, WELL™ Building Platinum and Four-Star Sustainable SITES™ certifications.
In addition to the keynote address, the conference will include: a free lunch and information session on Waste Management; sustainable design presentations by La Roche design students; and volunteer activities with the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.
Global Problems, Global Solutions is free and open to the public, but registration is required for the keynote address. Please contact Assistant Director of Global Engagement Charlotte Reed at 412-536-1215 or charlotte.reed@laroche.edu for more information.
About La Roche University: A private liberal arts college in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, La Roche University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors, six graduate degree programs and one doctorate program, with particular strengths in education, business, criminal justice, psychology, and health and medical sciences, as well as interior design and graphic design. This residential college provides a vibrant campus community for more than 1,500 men and women enjoying 30-plus student organizations and an exciting NCAA Div. III athletics program. Founded by the Sisters of Divine Providence in 1963, La Roche University embraces its Catholic heritage while welcoming people of all faiths and backgrounds. With a legacy of social justice and a commitment to international exchange, La Roche University educates students to be lifelong learners and achievers in an increasingly diverse and global society.
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