The city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, recently unveiled a new project reflecting a growing commitment to sustainability and innovation, according to project supporter and raw materials supplier Covestro.

The global materials technology company is a supporter of the Energy Flow art installation, which is using wind power and light-emitting diode (LED) lights to illuminate one of Pittsburgh’s most prominent bridges for the holiday season.

Details of the Lighting Display

The Energy Flow bridge lighting display is the brainchild of environmental artist Andrea Polli. Polli provided the design, and Ron Gdovic, CEO of WindStax Wind Power Systems, developed the nanogrids and wind turbines that are the main source of power for the lighting installation.

The 16 specially designed wind turbines are mounted on steel platforms and secured to the bridge. They generate power for the 27,000 multi-colored LED lights that illuminate the Rachel Carson Bridge, also known as the 9th Street Bridge. The bridge itself represents a sustainable ideology, as it is named for environmental activist and Pittsburgh-area native Rachel Carson.

 “We champion projects like Energy Flow because they push the boundaries of what was thought to be possible, using technology in new and innovative ways to drive greater awareness around the topic of sustainability,” said Jerry MacCleary, president of Covestro LLC in North America. “That’s exactly what we we’re trying to achieve at Covestro by embedding sustainability into our innovation strategy.”

Corrosion Protection via Coatings

The Energy Flow installation also underscores a commitment to the Pittsburgh region that Covestro has called its North American home for nearly 60 years, according to the company.

Covestro’s connection to the area’s bridges stretches beyond the temporary lighting installation to the coatings that protect the bridge itself. Polyurethane raw materials from the company are used to formulate the coatings on the Rachel Carson Bridge and many others throughout the region.

The corrosion protection enabled by Covestro’s raw materials helps to beautify and extend the service life of the steel bridge structures. Pittsburgh is known as “the city of bridges,” boasting 446 bridges —even more than Venice, Italy.

The bridge was officially illuminated on Friday, November 18.

For more information, contact: Covestro, (412) 413-2000, www.covestro.com