Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is anchored by the first LEED-certified welcome center in a public garden and the world’s most energy-efficient tropical forest conservatory.  By staying true to its original mission, Phipps is now one of America’s premier horticultural display conservatories and a recognized leader in green building practices and sustainable operations.   Built by Henry Phipps in 1893 as a gift to the city of Pittsburgh, the wealthy industrialist envisioned a place “that will prove a source of instruction as well as pleasure to the people.”   The original vision for the conservatory has flourished under the guidance of the current administration through an aggressive multi-phase plan in which the opportunity to promote an appreciation for plant life is successfully balanced with a desire to expand responsibly.   By deploying a sweeping palate of innovative, energy-saving approaches and technology into the Welcome Center and production greenhouses in 2005 and the Tropical Forest Conservatory in 2006, Phipps has become a model for other public gardens and conservatories around the world and is fast becoming America’s Greenest Garden.   The links to the left will guide you through our expansion efforts and green operations.