California ranks ninth in U.S. for LEED Green Building in 2018

California came in at number nine on the list, which ranks states based on the number of LEED certified square feet per person, according to the annual list of Top 10 States by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). California has made the Top 10 States for LEED list since 2011.

“Over the past 25 years, the U.S. Green Building Council, its member companies and the green building community have come together to make our planet stronger, greener and more sustainable through LEED,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC. “These Top 10 states are examples of how we can create lasting, measurable change and improve the quality of life for everyone in our communities. A better future requires a universal living standard that leaves no one behind — and that future would simply not be possible without the extraordinary work being done in these states.”

The states that made this year’s Top 10 are home to 128 million Americans, and the more than 1,800 buildings that certified in 2018 represent more than 468 million gross square feet of space. Buildings that are LEED-certified create healthier spaces for people, as well as use less energy and water, reduce carbon emissions and save money for families, businesses and taxpayers.

California consistently certifies hundreds of green buildings in the state every year. California certified 521 green buildings in 2018, representing 3.02 square feet of LEED-certified space per person. Notable projects that certified in California in 2018 include:

• Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, LEED Platinum, which worked closely with patients, families and hospital faculty and staff on a family-centered design that is expected to reduce energy consumption by 60 percent compared to regional hospital averages and included integrating 3.5 acres of gardens and green spaces at the pediatric campus.
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Central Engineering Building, LEED Gold, one of the first projects to certify through LEED v4.1 O+M, has more than 800 solar rooftop panels. The JPL uses LEED to compare progress and continuously improve building performance across its campus while also meeting federal guiding principles for sustainable buildings as a contractor to NASA.
• Playa Vista Elementary School, LEED Platinum, a STEM-focused elementary school that partners with Loyola Marymount University on a professional development teaching program. The school has created outdoor “learning zones” for students that include vegetable gardens, meeting areas, outdoor classroom and water zones.

“As a state, California has always been ahead of the pack, showing the rest of the country how to develop responsibly and sustainably through policy, practice and public engagement,” said Taryn Holowka, senior vice president with USGBC. “Local and state advocates and officials have worked hard to make LEED and green building as accessible as possible to their communities and have improved quality of life for California residents along the way. With LEED v4.1, the expertise of builders and developers, and the dedication of our USGBC members based in California, I know the state will continue to be a leader in 2019 and beyond. Congratulations to everyone in California who contributed to this tremendous achievement.”

Now in its ninth year, the 2018 Top 10 States for LEED list is based on 2010 U.S. Census data and includes commercial and institutional green building projects that earned LEED certification in 2018. The full rankings are as follows: