The U.S. City with the Most Sustainable Workplaces Is...
Sodexo assessed the top metropolitan areas boasting office buildings that have accumulated the highest number of per-capita LEED-certified points. Washington, DC, San Jose, San Francisco, Denver, and Seattle claimed the top five spots in the study and represent sustainable buildings as it pertains to LEED. The study emphasizes green in terms of energy conservation, water usage, air quality, and building materials, including a building is during its construction and lifespan.
Sodexo analyzed USGBC database of LEED-certified office buildings to rank the top 25 metropolitan areas in the U.S. for green office buildings in relation to population.
“The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that there are over 5.6 million commercial office buildings in the United States,” says Rachel Sylvan, director, sustainability and corporate responsibility, Sodexo North America. “By raising awareness of which metropolitan areas place the greatest emphasis on sustainable workplaces, we hope to educate business and civic leaders on the opportunity to improve quality of life and reduce environmental impact with sustainable buildings.”
The top 25 metropolitan areas for green office buildings are:
- Washington, DC
- San Jose
- San Francisco
- Denver
- Seattle
- Sacramento
- Chicago
- Portland, OR
- Boston
- Charlotte
- Baltimore
- San Diego
- Houston
- Salt Lake City
- Atlanta
- Los Angeles
- Austin
- Raleigh-Durham
- Pittsburgh
- Milwaukee
- Nashville
- New York
- Minneapolis-St. Paul
- Dallas-Ft. Worth
- Philadelphia
Washington, DC can attribute much of its first place ranking to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 that involves energy efficiency and sustainable design requirements for Federal and other government buildings.
Other metropolitan areas have also placed an emphasis on green buildings. San Francisco has a green building code that ensures all buildings are healthy, sustainable places to live, work and learn.