LASN is a photographically oriented, professional journal featuring topics of concern and state-of-the-art projects designed or influenced by registered Landscape Architects.
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94 Landscape Architect and Specifier News I n f o r m a t i o n R e q u e s t # 7 8 8 On Feb. 18, 2014, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released its ranking of the Top 10 States for LEED. The list highlights the regions around the country at the forefront of the movement for sustainable building design, construction and operation. LEED-certified spaces use less energy and water, reduce carbon emissions and generally contribute to a healthier environment. "In the face of the extraordinary global challenge of climate change, our national imperative to create resource-efficient and cost- effective green buildings has never been greater," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chairman of USGBC. The U.S. Green Building Council, curiously, bases its LEED rankings on the per-capita square footage to extrapolate its top 10 states list. USGBC asserts the per-capita figures is "a measure of the human element of green building, allowing for a fair comparison of the level of green building taking place among states with significant differences in population and, accordingly, number of overall buildings." Rank State Projects certified in 2013 Square feet LEED certified in 2013 Per-capita square footage 1 Illinois 171 29,415,284 2.29 2 Maryland 119 12,696,429 2.20 3 Virginia 160 16,868,693 2.11 4 Massachusetts 101 13,684,430 2.09 5 (tie) New York 259 37,839,395 1.95 5 (tie) California 595 72,729,476 1.95 6 Oregon 47 6,991,942 1.83 7 North Carolina 133 17,183,099 1.80 8 Colorado 124 8,894,187 1.77 9 Hawaii 17 2,323,379 1.71 10 Minnesota 51 8,205,155 1.55 Washington, D.C. 106 19,524,216 32.45 *Washington, D.C., is not ranked, as it is a federal district, not a state. The per-capita list is based on 2010 U.S. Census data and includes commercial and institutional green building projects that were certified through 2013. Regardless, California leads LEED in the number of certified 595 projects (595) and in square footage (72,729,476). If looking only at per-capita square footage, the Golden State would place fifth. A few notable projects certified in California in 2013 include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla (Gold), and the Lands End Lookout, San Francisco (Platinum). Collectively, 1,777 commercial and institutional projects became LEED certified within the top 10 states in 2013, representing 226.8 million square feet of real estate. Worldwide, 4,642 projects were certified in 2013, representing 596.8 million square feet. The Westminster Police Headquarters in Westminster, Calif. (Orange County) was among the LEED Platinum certifications in the Golden State in 2013. Top 10 States for LEED: California Ranks 1st in Number of Projects and Square Footage 94-95.indd 94 3/25/14 3:36 PM