Colorado Tops States for Green Building

For the first time since 2011, Colorado received the top rating in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building in 2019, according to a new list from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

The list ranks states based on the number of LEED-certified square feet per person. 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.

Illinois came in second with 3.85 square feet of LEED-certified space per resident, following by New York with 3.76 square feet. The remaining states in the top 10 included Massachusetts, Hawaii, Maryland, Virginia, Minnesota, Oregon, and California.

Although Washington, D.C. did not appear in the official Top 10 list because of its status as a federal territory, it consistently leads the nation and in 2019 certified 52.86 square feet of space per resident across 143 green building projects.

According to the USGBC, LEED-certified projects support personal health and help protect the environment, as they use less energy and water, reduce carbon emissions, and save money for families, businesses and taxpayers. But green and sustainable projects are not just for new construction buildings. Learn how new technology initiatives are delivering sustainability to older buildings as well.