2026 Summer Internship :: Building Performance, Climate + Sustainability

evolve LLC; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 37,195 - 41,328; Full time

Job summary

A design and sustainability firm is looking for a motivated summer intern to join their Building Performance and Climate & Sustainability Studios. The intern will support various projects aimed at environmental sustainability and energy performance, gaining valuable experience in LEED projects. This full-time, hourly internship offers a competitive pay range of $27-$30 per hour for a duration of 3-4 months starting in May 2026. Ideal candidates should be pursuing a degree in sustainability or related fields and possess strong communication and organizational skills.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a degree in sustainability, Architecture, or related field.
• Strong communication and organizational skills required.
• Desire to promote and encourage sustainability.

Responsibilities

• Support building performance projects including LEED projects.
• Perform calculations and draft narratives.
• Conduct stakeholder engagement and analysis.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Organizational skills

Problem-solving skills

Collaboration

Education

Degree in a sustainability related field

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

ArcGIS

Adobe Creative Suite

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

2026 Summer Internship :: Building Performance, Climate + Sustainability

Official Title: 2026 Summer Internship :: Building Performance,
Climate + Sustainability
Employment Type: Full Time, HourlyDuration: 3-4 months
Salary: $27-$30 p/h (Commensurate with Experience)
Start Date: May 2026
Location: Pittsburgh Office

About evolveEA

evolve environment::architecture (evolveEA) is a mission-driven design, planning, and sustainability firm working at the intersection of infrastructure, community, and environment. As a carbon-neutral, woman-owned (WBE) practice and certified B Corp and Just organization, we integrate equity, resilience, and systems thinking into projects ranging from urban design and mobility planning to infrastructure, policy, and implementation.

We are a small, collaborative practice. Our staff work across disciplines, scales, and phases, and we value team members who are adaptable, curious, and comfortable wearing multiple hats as project needs evolve. For more information about our firm, please visit www.evolveEA.com.

Position Overview

evolveEA is seeking a summer intern who can join our multidisciplinary team to support our Building Performance Studio (BPS) and Climate & Sustainability Studio (CSS). We are looking for a motivated problem solver with strong organizational skills, who will work on projects at the building scale up to the community, county, and state scales. This 3-4 month position is an opportunity to participate in projects that reshape the places where we live, work, and play to be socially equitable, resilient, and environmentally sustainable.

About the Building Performance Studio (BPS)

The nationally recognized Building Performance Studio strives to shift practices in project expectations and delivery towards low carbon and healthy environments. We work with organizations who are expanding the definition of best practices and who welcome innovative goals and approaches. Our BPS is the Pittsburgh Region’s foremost green building and sustainability consultancy. We have managed the successful certifications of over one hundred LEED projects, including a diversity of clients with increasing geographic diversity. For more information about the BPS, please visit https://evolveea.com/work/building-green/.

About the Climate & Sustainability Studio (CSS)

The Climate & Sustainability Studio accelerates the transition to a low carbon and resilient future that is people-centered and reflects the uniqueness of place. We empower communities and organizations through catalytic planning, authentic engagement, and a strategic focus on implementation. We manage climate action plans, resilience plans, and sustainability projects from the building scale to the state scale. Our work is rooted in community and stakeholder engagement that meets people where they are and invites them to have a seat at the decision-making table. For more information about the CSS, please visit https://evolveea.com/climate-and-sustainability/.

Role within the BPS and CSS

The BPS & CSS intern will split their time between both studios, with the exact percentage to be determined based on project needs. The intern will collaborate with both studios to establish an internship theme that will guide up to 15% of the intern’s efforts at evolveEA. Themes should reflect the intern’s interests or desired area of future study, as well as firm needs. Themes could include materials, health and wellness, energy performance, or other considerations.

Core Responsibilities

As an intern you will support the CSS and BPS teams by completing discrete tasks under the guidance of the BPS Studio Lead and CSS Studio Lead. Interns are typically exposed to a variety of efforts and support on multiple projects. The applicant should be able to support or lead the following tasks with minimal assistance or supervision, as listed below:

• Support the execution of building performance projects including LEED and Green Building certification projects
• Support project documentation. Perform calculations. Draft narratives and review submittals. Review project shop drawings
• Support building scale systems analysis and community-scale urban systems analysis, including energy consumption, water consumption, waste and materials management, transportation, etc.
• Create community and stakeholder engagement materials and analyze engagement feedback
• Contribute to climate action and resilience plan recommendations
• Additional project support dependent on skills and experience of successful candidate, which may include:
  • ArcGIS analysis and map making
  • LEED Materials Intake Form coordination, confirmation, quality control
  • Building Product Disclosure and Optimization (BPDO) and Low-Emitting Materials (LEM) credit documentation
  • Daylight analysis
  • Life Cycle Assessments (LCA)
• Additional tasks to support project delivery as required

Required Qualifications

• Education: Pursuing a degree in a sustainability related field including but not limited to Architecture, Building Science, Sustainable Design, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Planning, or Sustainable Business (or commensurate experience)
• Strong communication and organizational skills
• A desire to promote and encourage sustainability
• Ability to collaborate in a flexible work environment

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with sustainability frameworks such as LEED, WELL, Living Building Challenge, Passive House, etc.
• Experience contributing to climate action plans, resilience plans, and sustainability projects
• Experience with BPDO / LEM documentation
• Experience performing life cycle assessments
• Experience participating in stakeholder and community engagement
• Understanding of building systems and urban environmental systems, including energy, water, food, waste, transportation, air quality, etc.
• Strong graphic design sensibilities
• Strong research, analysis, and reporting abilities
• Team-oriented professional
• Experience with the following programs:
  • AutoCAD and Revit (BIM), Autodesk Insight
  • Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign
  • ArcGIS
  • LEED Online
  • LCA Simulation
  • Climate Studio
  • Daylight Simulation
  • Green Badger
  • Microsoft Word, Powerpoint and Excel
  • Google Suite, including gDocs, gSheets, and gSlides
  • Zoom video conferencing
• Experience with projects similar to those in the evolveEA portfolio

What Success Looks Like

During the 3-4 month internship, success in this role means:

• Effectively supporting assigned tasks and workstreams across the Building Performance Studio (BPS) and Climate & Sustainability Studio (CSS), meeting internal deadlines and quality standards
• Delivering clear, accurate, and well-organized project documentation and analysis outputs, including calculations, submittals for green building certifications (like LEED), and systems analysis data
• Operating as a resourceful and reliable team member who collaborates effectively with both studio teams and demonstrates flexibility in supporting a variety of project needs, scales, and phases
• Contributing thoughtful research and analysis to the intern’s established theme, providing valuable insights to the firm
• Producing professional-quality community and stakeholder engagement materials and translating technical or policy information into clear, accessible graphics and narratives for project reports
• Professional Growth: Leaving the internship with a deeper understanding of building performance and climate and sustainability practices, having participated effectively in project and public meetings, and having contributed positively to the firm’s office culture

How to Apply

If you are interested in this opportunity please complete our employment application below.

A work sample or portfolio submission is required for this position

Our Process:

• Application submissions will be accepted through March 15, 2026
• Applicants of interest will be notified by email of an opportunity to proceed to an interview, or potentially be asked to clarify or confirm their current status or qualifications before being invited to interview
• First Interview
• Second Interview if requested
• Final response

The internship has an anticipated start date of May 19, 2026 . The position will be filled once a suitable candidate is selected. An interview will be required. evolveEA reserves the right to remove or modify this position in order to reflect our strategic needs and personnel strengths.

Intern positions are not benefits eligible. We are seeking candidates from diverse backgrounds.

Commitment to Equitable Hiring

evolveEA provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or genetics.
In addition to federal law requirements, evolveEA complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location where the company operates.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.