Energy Saving News
Washington DC Buildings LEED the List
IN THE U.S. the District of Colombia (Washington DC) again heads the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) table of LEED-rated energy efficient buildings per capita.
Last year, 18,954,022 square feet of institutional and commercial space across the district earned the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building certification.
The per capita figure of 31.5 square feet puts Washington DC far ahead of Colorado (2.74 square feet per capita) the second on the list, Illinois are third (2.69 square feet per capita), fourth Virginia (2.42 square feet per capita) and fifth Washington state (2.18 square feet per capita).
Completing the top ten are, in order, Maryland, Massachusetts, Texas, California, New York and Minnesota.
Washington DC’s position is reported to be due to the current government’s efforts to improve the sustainability of its own buildings, which represent the high proportion of the region’s total, despite a relatively low number of residents.
“This is a great accomplishment for the DC metropolitan region and a testament to the drive, commitment and leadership of all those who live, work and play in our community. “We also realise there is still more to do and hope to effectively guide the effort by engaging, educating and encouraging the dialogue around the value of sustainability.” said Mike Babcock, Board Chair of the National Capital Region Chapter of USGBC.
“Looking past the bricks and mortar, people are at the heart of what buildings are all about,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, USGBC. “Examining the per capita value of LEED square footage in these states allows us to focus on what matters most - the human element of green buildings.”
“Our local green building chapters from around the country have been instrumental in accelerating the adoption of green building policies and initiatives that drive construction locally,” continued Fedrizzi. “These states should be recognised for working to reinvent their local building landscapes with buildings that enliven and bolster the health of our environment, communities and local economies.”
Doug Widener, Executive Director of the Illinois Chapter of USGBC said: “Being in the top three is a testament to the diversity of stakeholders from across Illinois who understand the significant environmental, economic, and social benefits related to LEED certification. I applaud Illinois’ diverse green building community on this outstanding achievement.”
Notable newly certified projects in 2011 include the Treasury Building in Washington, D.C., which is distinguished as the oldest LEED-certified project in the world; the LEED-Platinum Casey Middle School in Boulder, Colo.; the iconic Wrigley Building in Chicago, Ill.; Frito-Lay in Lynchburg, Va., which earned LEED Gold for the operations and maintenance of an existing building; the LEED Silver Hard Rock Café in Seattle, Wash.; Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Md.; Yawkey Distribution Center of The Greater Boston Food Bank in Mass.; the LEED Gold Austin Convention Center in TX; SFO’s LEED Gold Terminal 2 in San Francisco, Calif.; the LEED-Platinum Hotel Skylar in Syracuse, N.Y.; and the LEED Platinum Marquette Plaza in Minneapolis, Minn.
Picture of Department of The Treasury (Tim Wang) / CC BY-SA 2.0
Wednesday 25th January 2012
