USGBC calculates the list using per-capita figures as 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.

In 2014, LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance was once again the most popular rating system within the top 10 states, representing 48 percent of the total square footage certified. LEED for Building Design and Construction was the second most popular rating system in the top 10, representing 46 percent of the square footage certified and LEED for Interior Design and Construction was the third most popular rating system, representing 6 percent of total square footage certified in these states in 2014.

A sample of notable projects that certified in these states in 2014 include:

• Illinois: The Aon Center, a 3.2 million-square-foot tower in Chicago owned by Jones Lang LaSalle, LEED Silver
• Colorado: Denver Museum of Nature & Science's Morgridge Family Exploration Center in Denver, LEED Platinum
• Maryland: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Building 26 in Greenbelt, LEED Gold
• Virginia: University of Mary Washington's Technology Convergence Center in Fredericksburg, LEED Silver
• Massachusetts: Winchester Hospital Ambulatory Surgery Center in Winchester, LEED Gold
• Hawaii: City Financial Tower in Honolulu, LEED Gold
• California: Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, LEED Gold
• Georgia: The Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, LEED Silver
• Minnesota: Wells Fargo Center in Minneapolis, LEED Gold
• Arizona: Arizona State University Health Services renovation in Tempe, LEED Platinum
• New York: Golisano Institute for Sustainability at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, LEED Platinum

Collectively, 1,662 commercial and institutional projects became LEED certified within the top 10 states in 2014, representing 251.7 million square feet of real estate. Worldwide, 4,502 projects were certified in 2014, representing 675.7 million square feet.

More than 26,600 projects representing 3.6 billion square feet of space have been LEED-certified to date, with another 42,000 projects representing 8.8 billion square feet in the pipeline for certification. USGBC launched LEED v4, the newest version of the rating system, in the fall of 2013. The latest version continues to raise the bar for the entire green building industry, which Forbes Magazine projects could be worth up to $960 billion globally by 2023. LEED v4 features increased technical rigor; new market sector adaptations for data centers, warehouses and distribution centers, hospitality, existing schools, existing retail and midrise residential projects; and a simplified submittal process supported by a robust and intuitive technology platform.

Contact: Marisa Long
Communications Director, USGBC
202-552-1500
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To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/usgbc-releases-the-top-10-states-for-leed-green-building-per-capita-in-nation-300030466.html

SOURCE U.S. Green Building Council