We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.

logo
  • Engineers & Specifiers
  • Contractors & Installers
  • Wholesalers & Distributors
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Subscription
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • PRODUCTS
    • Bath & Kitchen
    • Fire Protection
    • HVAC
    • Hydronics/Radiant
    • Plumbing
    • PVF
    • Tools
  • PROJECTS
    • Commercial
    • Green Building
    • MRO/Retrofit
    • Remodeling
    • Residential
  • HOW TO
    • Design
    • Fire Protection
    • Legal Matters
    • Management
  • BUSINESS
    • Buying Groups
    • Technology
    • Associations
  • CODES & STANDARDS
    • ANSI
    • ASHRAE
    • ASSE
    • Regulations
    • Green Building
    • IAPMO
    • ICC
    • NFPA
  • RESOURCES
    • Media Kit
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Classifieds
    • Digital Editions
    • Behind the Wall
    • Webinars
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • DIGITAL EDITIONS
Home » USGBC Releases Annual List of Top 10 States for LEED in 2020

USGBC Releases Annual List of Top 10 States for LEED in 2020

February 10, 2021
No Comments
USGBC Releases Annual List of Top 10 States for LEED in 2020

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released its annual list of the Top 10 States for LEED green building with Massachusetts leading the country in 2020 with the most certified square feet per capita. Across the top states, more than 60% of certifications were office, healthcare, higher education and K-12 projects. This year, USGBC also released a ranking of states with the most LEED professionals with California taking the top spot. Collectively, the 2020 rankings represent 1,171 certified LEED buildings and spaces, and more than 100,000 green building workers.

“If we are to rebuild an economy that supports our health and our planet, we must lead with changing the way we design and build,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of USGBC. “Last year was a stark reminder that the quality of our buildings impacts the quality of our life. Looking ahead, people want to trust that the spaces they occupy are good for them and their communities, and LEED has always been a tool to support those goals. Now is the time to ensure that every building is LEED certified as that is the only way we are accomplishing our goals of access to healthy, green buildings, homes and spaces.”

While offices, education and healthcare projects accounted for a majority of certifications, warehouses, distribution centers, multifamily and retail projects represented almost 20%. Also, almost half of all projects were certified Gold, indicating a commitment to a high level of certification.

The Top 10 States for LEED green building is based on gross square feet of certified space per person using 2010 U.S. Census data and includes commercial and institutional projects certified in 2020. The full top 10 state rankings are as follows:

Top 10 States for LEED Green Building in 2020

Rank

State

GSF Per Capita

2020 Certifications

2020 GSF

TOP 10 TOTALS

1,171

281,055,474

1

Massachusetts

2.91

76

19,034,129

2

Washington

2.82

74

18,957,253

3

Illinois

2.61

94

33,475,682

4

Colorado

2.35

64

11,826,927

5

New York

2.28

108

44,172,684

6

Maryland

2.23

88

12,898,921

7

California

2.12

417

78,912,603

8

Virginia

2.05

97

16,404,078

9

Texas

1.66

139

41,749,345

10

Nevada

1.34

14

3,623,852

*

District of Columbia

39.53

129

23,783,731

*Washington, D.C. is not ranked due to its status as a federal district.

The global green building community is continually improving LEED to ensure it helps buildings, communities and cities to be more sustainable, healthy, resilient and equitable. More than two-thirds of LEED credits support human health, as the rating system addresses ventilation and filtration, daylighting, low-emitting materials, access to outdoor spaces, acoustics and other key factors. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, USGBC also introduced Safety First guidance to address operational challenges and assist with each state’s re-entry planning.

LEED’s foundation, however, is in its commitment to help the building sector reduce its contribution to climate change. Certification communicates progress in support of climate and ESG commitments and the goal is to get more buildings on a path to certify. Using Arc to track performance, USGBC is tracking nearly 56 million metrics tons of GHG emissions associated with energy and transportation, and more than 167 billion gallons of water. The data show that LEED projects deliver significant reductions in emissions and improvements in occupant experience - and the benefits increase with higher levels of LEED certification. The latest version of the rating system, LEED v4.1, raises the bar on green building performance, defining the latest sustainability standards while enabling project teams to continue to track progress beyond certification.

“If we want to make a positive impact in our communities, we must transform the building sector, and focus on what the data is telling us,” added Ramanujam. “By putting data at the center of LEED we’re helping teams better understand building performance, find ways to improve and ultimately find a path to net zero.”

Since 2018, more than 25 projects globally have certified LEED Zero, which recognizes net zero performance in buildings and spaces. LEED’s third-party certification is the industry’s dominant green building standard and LEED Zero expands on that work verifying achievements in net zero carbon, energy, water and waste. It focuses on a higher level of green building performance.

Transforming the building sector to be more sustainable requires a skilled and knowledgeable workforce. This workforce is contributing to the development and advocacy of LEED and is being quickly embraced by the next generation workforce and decision makers. USGBC has been committed to cultivating and supporting green building professionals through its credentialing and certificate programs. This year, USGBC is also releasing an additional Top 10 list recognizing states with the most LEED green building professionals. The full list is as follows:

Top 10 States for LEED Professionals in 2020

Rank

State

Total # of Credential Holders

TOP 10 TOTALS

100,015

1

California

26,906

2

New York

12,575

3

Texas

10,474

4

Florida

9,694

5

Illinois

8,640

6

Massachusetts

6,901

7

Virginia

6,612

8

Colorado

6,393

9

Washington

5,968

10

Pennsylvania

5,852

Alternative Energy Associations Awards Best Practices Codes & Standards Contractors & Installers Design Engineers & Specifiers Green Building HVAC Hydronics/Radiant Industry Community News Infrastructure Plumbing
  • Related Articles

    USGBC Announces Top 10 States for LEED Green Building in 2018

    Massachusetts Tops USGBC's Top 10 LEED Rankings

    NKBA Thirty Under 30 Class of 2020 Names Its Top 10 Products at KBIS

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular

  • Louisville Water Uncovers Ancient Check Valve Dating Back to the 1870s

  • NIBCO Announces Promotion of Dawn Bloch to Vice President, Customer Engagement

  • Winsupply Holds Grand Opening for Regional Distribution Center in Oklahoma City

  • PDI Acquires Plumbing, Appliance, Lighting, Electrical, and Irrigation Distributor W.A. Bragg & Co. Based in Augusta, Georgia

Featured Video

Merit video june

Merit Brass Merit Press Technology in Copper & Stainless to Save You Time & Money

Industry Events

  • 25Jun

    2022 ASHRAE Annual Conference

    Toronto,
  • 26Jun

    SWA 94th Annual Convention

  • 09Aug

    PVF Roundtable Q3 Networking Meeting

    Houston , TX
More Events

Subscribe to our newsletters & stay updated

Subscribe & Learn More

  • Tw06 2022 cover
    Learn More
  • Pe06 2022 cover
    Learn More
  • Phc06 2022 cover
    Learn More
  • Es07 2020
    Learn More
Subscribe

More from PHCP Pros

  • Editorial Team
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise

Follow Us

© 2022 All Rights Reserved

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development | ePublishing