The U.S.
Green Building Council (USGBC) recently released its list
of the top 10 states for LEED-certified commercial/institutional buildings.
According to the USGBC, LEED is internationally known as the indicator of
excellence in green building.
The list
was created on a per-capita basis and is based on information from the U.S.
2010 Census.
Washington,
D.C. came in at the top with 31.50 square-feet per citizen.
“This is
a great accomplishment for the D.C. metropolitan region and a testament to the
drive, commitment and leadership of all those who live, work and play in our
community,” said Mike Babcock, board chair of the National Capital Region
Chapter of USGBC. “We also realize there is still more to do and hope to
effectively guide the effort by engaging, educating and encouraging the
dialogue around the value of sustainability."
Colorado,
Illinois, and Virginia were numbers two through four, respectively, with
per-capita ratios of 2.74 to 2.42 square-feet per person.
“Being
in the top three is a testament to the diversity of stakeholders from across
Illinois who understand the significant environmental, economic, and social
benefits related to LEED certification,” said Doug Widener, executive director
of the Illinois Chapter of USGBC. “I applaud Illinois’ diverse green building
community on this outstanding achievement.”
.jpg "120201_green_states")
(infographic
obtained from USGBC blog)
“Our
local green building chapters from around the country have been instrumental in
accelerating the adoption of green building policies and initiatives that drive
construction locally,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of
USGBC. “These states should be recognized for working to reinvent their local
building landscapes with buildings that enliven and bolster the health of our
environment, communities and local economies.”
The
USGBC says that there are more than 44,000 commercial projects across all 50
states participating in LEED. On the residential front, more than 16,000 homes
have been certified and more than 67,000 homes have registered through the LEED
for Homes rating system.
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