Top 10 states for LEED: Who made the list?

by Samantha Ashenhurst | February 13, 2018 4:24 pm

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The U.S. Green Building Council[2] (USGBC) has released its annual list of the Top 10 States for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design[3]), ranking states in terms of certified square feet per resident.

Massachusetts retained its top position for the second year in a row with 130 LEED certifications representing 1.37 m² (4.48 sf) of LEED-certified space per resident—the highest since 2010.

Overall, the mid-Atlantic continued to demonstrate strong regional leadership, with both Maryland and Virginia making the list for the seventh year running. Meanwhile, Washington D.C., which is not included in the official list due to its status as a federal territory, topped the nation with 12.14 m² (39.83 sf) of certified space per resident.

Rank	State	Certified Gross Square Footage (GSF)	GSF Per Capita	Number of Projects Certified
1.	Massachusetts	29,338,378	4.48	130
2.	New York	65,749,387	3.39	192
3.	Illinois	43,363,065	3.38	135
4.	Hawaii	4,519,757	3.32	16
5.	Maryland	15,854,679	2.75	105
6.	Minnesota	13,018,056	2.45	47
7.	Georgia	23,638,051	2.44	71
8.	California	89,258,519	2.4	475
9.	Virginia	18,589,482	2.32	152
10.	Colorado	11,397,964	2.27	76
**	D.C.	23,966,817	39.83	139

USGBC calculates the list using per capita figures to allow for a fair comparison of the level of green building taking place among states with significant differences in population and number of overall buildings.

“As the U.S. Green Building Council celebrates 25 years of market leadership and growth, we know how important green building practices and certifications are to ensuring a more sustainable future for all,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, USGBC president. “These states showcase exceptional leadership and by using LEED, businesses, property owners, and policy makers in these states are strategically addressing some of the most critical social and environmental concerns of our time.”

To read more about the projects and policies that helped each state secure its spot on this year’s top 10 list, click here[4].

For more on this year’s list, click here[5].

Source URL: https://www.constructionspecifier.com/top-10-states-leed-made-list/

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