The State LEEDers In Green Building

The US Green Building Council announced the top 10 states that attained the highest number of LEED certified buildings in 2013. The list, which ranks the states based on per-capita square footage of certified LEED space, shows the growth and adoption of LEED among commercial and institutional buildings. As large buildings continue to implement LEED certification, they’re utilizing less energy, saving money for families, businesses and taxpayers while contributing to a healthier environment.

Here’s a look at the nation’s LEED leaders:

1. Illinois. This state completed 171 certified projects in 2013 and generated 2.29 square feet of LEED space for each of its nearly 13 million residents. Chicago, one of America’s greenest cities, boasts a total of 459 LEED-certified projects.

2. Maryland. Maryland sits at number two with 2.20 per-capita LEED-certified square footage after successfully completing 119 projects.

3. Virginia. Virginia is for lovers of green building as it rounds out the top three states. Completing 160 LEED-certified projects, Virginia generated nearly 17 million square feet of LEED space and 2.11 square feet per resident in 2013.

4. Massachusetts. This state finished 101 projects representing 2.09 square feet of LEED-certified space per resident.

5. New York. Despite the high number of project completions at 259, New York’s square footage per-capita falls just under 2 square feet —1.95 square feet, landing it at number 5.

5. California. Tieing for fifth place is California. This state actually certified the most buildings in 2013, completing 595 projects that produced over 72 million square feet of LEED-certified space statewide.

6. Oregon. This west coast state reached 47 LEED-certified projects in 2013 generating 1.83 square feet of LEED space for its nearly 4 million residents.

7. North Carolina. North Carolina hit 133 LEED-certified projects across the state in 2013, providing 1.80 square feet for each resident.

8. Colorado. This state successfully completed 124 LEED-certified buildings and certified nearly 9 million square feet of LEED space, making its per-capita square footage a respectable 1.77.

9. Hawaii. The islands of Hawaii are doing great things as the state completed 17 LEED-certified projects. While having the lowest number of certifications for 2013 on this list, Hawaii stays out of last since these projects produced 1.71 square feet of LEED-certified space per resident.

10. Minnesota. Rounding out the top ten is Minnesota, which received 51 LEED certifications, achieving 1.55 square feet for each of its 5 million residents.

Washington, DC was not included in this list because it's a federal district, not a state. But if it were a state, it would rank number one nation wide! The district’s per capita square footage is a whopping 32.35 square feet of LEED-certified space per resident.

To learn more about how you can achieve a LEED certified home read our FAQ: What does LEED mean? For a peek into a LEED-certified residential project check out the Karuna House and learn about its unique green features.