Colorado 5th in the Nation for LEED Green Building

U.S. Green Building Council Announces Colorado is Fifth State in the Nation for LEED Green Building

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recently released its national ranking of the top states in the country for LEED green building and Colorado is the fifth state in the nation for 2015. LEED-certified spaces use less energy and water resources, save money for families, businesses and taxpayers, reduce carbon emissions and create a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

“Colorado is a nationwide leader in green building and LEED certification. LEED creates jobs and increases opportunities for Colorado’s workers and businesses while contributing billions of dollars to the state’s economy,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair of USGBC. “LEED has become an essential standard for the transformation of building design and construction. LEED certified buildings drive economic growth, creates jobs and makes communities healthier.”

The annual ranking is developed by analyzing each state in terms of square feet of LEED certified space per state resident. Now in its sixth year, the list highlights states throughout the country that made significant strides in sustainable building design, construction and transformation throughout 2015. Colorado certified 95 projects representing 12,218,992 square feet of real estate, or 2.43 square feet per resident, in 2015.

“With a focus on health and the built environment, Coloradans are persistently blazing a trail for LEED certifications and sustainable building,” said Patti Mason, executive director, USGBC-Colorado Chapter. “Projects such as the RTD Commuter Rail Maintenance Facility, which blew past their goal of LEED Silver and achieved LEED Gold; Lionstone Gates, a multi-family low-rise consisting of 262 LEED Gold units; and school districts that strive to teach kids how to live green, showcase how the Centennial State has become a model for green building.”

In addition, data from USGBC’s 2015 Green Building Economic Impact Study show LEED construction is expected to support 103,000 total jobs in Colorado and have a total impact on GDP of $9.05 billion from 2015-2018.

*Included in the 2014 list

USGBC calculates the list using per-capita figures as a measure of the human element of green building. This also allows for fair comparisons among states with significant differences in population and number of buildings.

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