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Colorado Claims Top Slot on USGBC’s Top LEED States Ranking
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) unveiled its list of Top 10 States for LEED green building. Colorado took the top spot for the first time since 2011 on a ranking of states based on the number of LEED-certified square feet per person. Illinois was ranked second, followed by New York.
USGBC’s Mahesh Ramanujam says, “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. 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.”
Colorado certified 102 green building projects representing 4.76 square feet of LEED-certified space per resident. The state has made the Top 10 list each year but jumped to the top spot after ranking sixth in 2018. Minnesota (No. 8) and Oregon (No. 9) reemerged as Top 10 states after missing the list last year.
| 2019 Top 10 States for LEED | |||||
| Rank | State | Certified Gross Square Footage (GSF) |
GSF Per Capita | Number of Projects Certified |
LEED Professionals |
| 1 | CO | 23,962,344 | 4.76 | 102 | 6,339 |
| 2 | IL | 49,363,822 | 3.85 | 121 | 8,662 |
| 3 | NY | 72,778,916 | 3.76 | 193 | 12,576 |
| 4 | MA | 24,505,512 | 3.74 | 101 | 6,827 |
| 5 | HI | 4,083,713 | 3.00 | 12 | 1,1,45 |
| 6 | MD | 15,234,554 | 2.64 | 96 | 4,998 |
| 7 | VA | 19,981,112 | 2.50 | 98 | 6,526 |
| 8 | MN | 12,708,706 | 2.40 | 25 | 3,346 |
| 9 | OR | 8,825,432 | 2.30 | 33 | 2,908 |
| 10 | CA | 80,669,066 | 2.17 | 400 | 26,794 |
| ** | DC | 31,810,018 | 52.86 | 143 | 2,597 |
**Washington, D.C. is not ranked as it is a federal district, not a state
*Pictured Denver skyline
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