The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recently released its list of the top 10 states for LEED-certified commercial/institutional buildings. According to the USGBC, LEED is internationally known as the indicator of excellence in green building.
The list was created on a per-capita basis and is based on information from the U.S. 2010 Census.
Washington, D.C. came in at the top with 31.50 square-feet per citizen.
“This is a great accomplishment for the D.C. metropolitan region and a testament to the drive, commitment and leadership of all those who live, work and play in our community,” said Mike Babcock, board chair of the National Capital Region Chapter of USGBC. “We also realize there is still more to do and hope to effectively guide the effort by engaging, educating and encouraging the dialogue around the value of sustainability.”
Colorado, Illinois, and Virginia were numbers two through four, respectively, with per-capita ratios of 2.74 to 2.42 square-feet per person.
“Being in the top three is a testament to the diversity of stakeholders from across Illinois who understand the significant environmental, economic, and social benefits related to LEED certification,” said Doug Widener, executive director of the Illinois Chapter of USGBC. “I applaud Illinois’ diverse green building community on this outstanding achievement.”
(infographic obtained from USGBC blog)
“Our local green building chapters from around the country have been instrumental in accelerating the adoption of green building policies and initiatives that drive construction locally,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of USGBC. “These states should be recognized for working to reinvent their local building landscapes with buildings that enliven and bolster the health of our environment, communities and local economies.”
The USGBC says that there are more than 44,000 commercial projects across all 50 states participating in LEED. On the residential front, more than 16,000 homes have been certified and more than 67,000 homes have registered through the LEED for Homes rating system.
Tagged with tED