Illinois has the most LEED-certified space per resident in the nation, according to the USGBC’s sixth annual Top 10 States for LEED survey. 2015 is the third year in a row that Illinois has topped the list, with 161 total certifications and 3.43 square feet of certified space per resident. The survey authors also note that while Washington, D.C. is ineligible for the list due to its status as a district and not a state, D.C. is far in front of even Illinois, boasting 19.3 square feet of space per resident.
Rounding out the top five in the USGBC’s rankings are Maryland, Massachusetts, Washington, and Colorado, with all but Washington having made the list last year. Finishing out the top ten are Nevada, California, Texas, Virginia, and Utah making its first appearance on the list. The USGBC notes that Utah’s appearance underscores the expansion of green buildings in states without densely populated areas, while the mid-Atlantic region continues to be a high performer with Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. all coming in with high marks.
