DC continues to ‘LEED’ for new green building construction

When compared to states, the District once again led the nation for LEED-certified green building construction per capita in 2024, with 33.4 square feet of such construction per capita — six times more than No. 1-ranked Massachusetts when measured on a per capita basis.

The District’s population is much smaller than most states, giving it a per capita edge. But when compared to states on raw square footage of LEED-certified projects that were delivered last year, D.C. still ranks No. 5, with almost 23 million square feet.

The District had 111 green building projects that were delivered in 2024, according to the U.S. Green Building Council, which issued LEED certification for projects and launched its LEED rating system 25 years ago.

Qualifying for LEED certification can include energy and water efficiency, carbon emissions, indoor air quality, materials used, waste management and innovation.

Maryland ranked No. 5 for LEED building per capita in 2024, with 100 such projects completed. Virginia ranked No. 10, with 108. Maryland made the biggest jump in the rankings climbing from No. 10 last year, with a 61% increase in the number of LEED-certified projects.

The top three states were Massachusetts, Illinois and New York. The top state for gross square footage of LEED-certified projects completed last year was California, at almost 102 million square feet, followed by Texas, New York and Illinois.

“Now, more than ever, governments and organizations are seeking to build more resilient, healthy, affordable and sustainable cities and communities that address immediate and future needs,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO of USGBC.

Last year, the top 10 states certified 1,437 LEED projects totaling 414 million gross square feet, including office buildings, public buildings, retail developments and residential projects.

Below is the USGBC’s top 10 states for LEED building in 2024: