This morning, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) revealed its list of the Top 10 States for LEED in 2016.
Massachusetts leads the pack this year, with 136 LEED certified projects representing 3.73 square feet of certified space per resident. The state moved to the top of the list from third place last year.
Washington, D.C., (which, due to its status as a federal district rather than a state, is not ranked) had 120 LEED certified projects completed in 2016, for 29.04 square feet of certified space per resident—a far higher ratio than any individual state.
The USGBC calculates the rankings by assessing the total square feet of LEED-certified space per resident, taking into account commercial and institutional projects that were certified during 2016.
“LEED guides our buildings, cities, communities and neighborhoods to become more resource and energy efficient, healthier for occupants and more competitive in the marketplace,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of USGBC. “The green building movement continues to evolve with advancements in technology, benchmarking and transparency, and the states on this list are leading the way toward a more sustainable future.”
Across the U.S., 3,366 projects were LEED certified in 2016.
Find the complete Top 10 list below, and an infographic from the USGBC here.
| 2016 Top 10 States for LEED | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | State | Certified Gross Square Footage (GSF) |
Per-capita Certified GSF |
Total No. Projects |
| 1 | MA* | 24,398,765 | 3.73 | 136 |
| 2 | CO* | 15,921,457 | 3.17 | 92 |
| 3 | IL* | 36,188,485 | 2.82 | 151 |
| 4 | NY | 48,405,204 | 2.5 | 211 |
| 5 | CA* | 88,891,641 | 2.39 | 632 |
| 6 | NV* | 6,397,602 | 2.37 | 22 |
| 7 | MD* | 13,426,623 | 2.33 | 104 |
| 8 | VA* | 18,444,309 | 2.31 | 155 |
| 9 | WA* | 15,103,478 | 2.25 | 105 |
| 10 | TX* | 41,942,393 | 1.67 | 211 |
| ** | DC | 17,476,447 | 29.04 | 120 |
*Included in 2015 Top 10 States for LEED list
**Washington, D.C. is not ranked as it is a federal district, not a state
