On February 4, USGBC announced the Top 10 States for LEED, which highlights U.S. states that made significant strides in sustainable building design, construction and performance over the past year. The annual ranking assesses the total square feet of LEED-certified space per resident in 2018.

USGBC is committed to ensuring a prosperous and sustainable future and a higher standard of living for the next generation, because we believe that changing one life, one neighborhood or one city can change the world. And that future would not be possible without the extraordinary work being done in this year’s Top 10 States.

This year, we applaud and celebrate both the projects and the people who are working to create lasting, measurable change in their communities.

Raising the standard of living in New York

• Top 10 States for LEED rank: 4
• Number of projects certified in 2018: 214
• Certified gross square feet: 72,881,287
• Gross square feet per resident: 3.76

For years, New York has been a leader in green building, and it is leading the charge in developing more sustainable buildings, communities and cities here in the United States. This is the result of businesses, property owners and policymakers across the state working to improve quality of life by building better. To date, there are 3,087 LEED-certified projects in New York, totaling more than 386.8 million square feet of space.

New York City has always been a leader in innovative design and construction, and its developers and designers were some of the earliest inspirations for, and adopters of, LEED. This is due in large part to the city’s commitment to transforming its environment. The city is leading the way by creating an energy-efficient, low-carbon future that is equitable for all residents.

Laurie Kerr, president of LK POLICY LAB, has played an instrumental role in this. As the deputy director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Kerr led the development of the nation’s first comprehensive green building and energy efficiency strategies.

Thanks to programs like the Greener, Greater Buildings Plan and the NYC Green Codes Task Force, New York City is one of the global cities leading the way on green building and urban sustainability, and serves as a model for cities around the world.

Has LEED made an impact on your quality of life? Have you noticed LEED improving your community or city? We want to hear from you. Share your stories with us by signing up for the Living Standard campaign at livingstandard.org.