Top 10 States for LEED Green Building in 2019
The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has unveiled its annual list of the top 10 states for LEED green building, which ranks states based on the number of LEED-certified square feet per person. Colorado topped the list for the first time in eight years.
Hereâs how other states fared:
1. Colorado
2. Illinois
3. New York
4. Massachusetts
5. Hawaii
6. Maryland
7. Virginia
8. Minnesota
9. Oregon
10. California
Standout LEED Projects
Taryn Holowka, senior vice president of marketing, communication and advocacy for the USGBC, says many notable projects that obtained LEED certification in 2019 helped catapult states into the list and move up in the rankings.
The hotel debuted in 2018 and was designed for LEED Silver certification. For example, the ski-in/ski-out resort has eliminated single-use plastics and provides reusable water bottle filling stations. (Photo: Coloradoâs Limelight Hotel; Credit: Colin Miller)
In Illinois, which ranked No. 1 in 2018, the Chicago office of Perkins and Will achieved LEED Platinum, while Chicagoâs Willis Towerâhome to the popular Skydeck attractionâbecame the largest building in the U.S. to achieve LEED Platinum. âThe iconic building continues to be a model for how large commercial structures can achieve certification and transition to a more sustainable path,â says Holowka.
The Shops at Hudson Yards, in New York City, celebrated its LEED certification in 2019, as did New York University Langoneâs Health Science Building.
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Working Toward LEED
The USGBCâs annual top 10 list recognizes states that are leading when it comes to green building and the adoption of LEED, Holowka says. âStates move up and down the rankings,â she explains. This âgives the industry a sense of progress on a national level. We hope the rankings provide an opportunity to celebrate what was achieved in 2019 and motivates teams to go even further this year. The quest for the top spot is always exciting, and we know the community waits to see who will land at No. 1.â
Revisit our content, linked below, to learn how your building can do its part to be more sustainable.
- Moving your building toward net zero
- Tips for earning that green building certification
- Battling the heat island effect
- Implementing lighting controls
- Benefits of an LED retrofit
- A closer look at green walls and green roofs
Holowka adds that the USGBC included the number of LEED professionals in each state (see the above infographic) so that stakeholders know there are thousands of people across the top 10 states with the knowledge of the latest green building practices that can help take projects through certification.
âThe Top 10 was an opportunity to look back on last yearâs achievements, but now weâre focused on what lies ahead,â Holowka says. âIn November at Greenbuild, we introduced LEED Positiveâa vision for the development of LEED moving forward. Weâre focused on working with the industry to transition away from strategies that âdo less harmâ to those that âdo no harm and help repair and heal.ââ
About the Author
Sarah KloeppleSarah Kloepple
Associate Editor
Sarah joined the BUILDINGS team as an associate editor in August 2018. She is a graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism, where her focus was magazine writing. She's written and edited for numerous publications in her hometown of St. Louis.