LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, boasts more than 100,000 projects engaged. The top states in the U.S. house more than 105 million people with 80,000 green building professionals supporting the “sustainable transformation of buildings,” according to the organization.
“As we embark on a new decade, the USGBC community is focused on helping more projects get on the path to LEED certification and a more sustainable future,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of the USGBC. “Over the last year, the Top 10 states have certified projects that serve as incredible examples of how green building can create more sustainable and resilient spaces that improve our living standard.”
According to the USGBC, LEED projects use less water and energy, reduce costs and cut carbon emissions. To that end, Colorado certified 102 green building projects covering 4.76 square feet of certified space per capita. It has made the Top 10 list every year the list was published and jumped from sixth to first from 2018 to 2019.
“There is still much work to be done, but the progress made across these states shows us that our work is having a tangible impact on people’s lives,” said Ramanujam. “As we enter our next chapter, we are committed to helping more buildings, cities and communities improve their sustainability performance through LEED.”