Washington DC: Top Jurisdiction for LEED Buildings

Which state added the most LEED-certified buildings in 2012?

Each year, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) releases a list of the top 10 states for new LEED certifications and although it’s not exactly a state, Washington DC got the top spot for the second year in a row.

The District of Columbia added 36.97 square feet of LEED-certified space per resident in 2012. Nearby Virginia earned the #2 spot, followed by Colorado, Massachusetts and Illinois.

LEED for Existing Buildings accounted for 53% of these certifications, following the trend toward renovation rather than new construction. 32% of certifications were for LEED for New Construction.

Significant projects in Washington DC include the U.S. Mint Building, which secured LEED-Gold for Existing Buildings, and  Woodrow Wilson High School, which achieved LEED-Gold for Schools.

In Virginia, Cooper Vineyards is the first East Coast winery to achieve LEED-Platinum, and the Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center at the University of Virginia secured LEED-Gold.

A notable project in Massachusetts is Atlantic Wharf. This first skyscraper to be certified in Boston earned LEED-Platinum. The Genzyme Biologics Support Center, an administrative and scientific laboratory facility, received LEED-Gold.

New York’s Destiny USA project achieved LEED-Gold for Core & Shell, making it the largest LEED-certified super-regional shopping center in the nation. The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York secured LEED-Gold for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance.

Nevada makes the list of top states for the time. The Green Flag Facility at Nellis Air Force Base got LEED-Silver and the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada’s Bonneville Transit Center is the third Platinum-certified project in Southern Nevada.

Here’s the ranking:

Worldwide, more than 15,000 commercial projects have LEED certification and 35,000 more are in the pipeline, for a total of 10.3 billion square feet. 

Learn which states added the most LEED certified buildings last year.