Every year, the U.S. Green Building Council releases a "Top Ten States for Green Building" list. This list is based on the number of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified square footage in each state. Last year, in 2020, Florida did not make the Top 10 list for certified square footage. However, the U.S. Green Building Council also released an additional Top 10 list recognizing states with the most LEED certified green-building professionals. Florida was ranked #4 in this list with almost 10,000 LEED credential-holding professionals in the state for 2020.
What is LEED? LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is one of the most internationally recognized green building rating systems in the world. Certification being available for almost all building types, LEED creates the foundation for healthy, efficient, and cost-effective green buildings. Certification for LEED is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability and leadership in environmental awareness.
So what does this mean for Central Florida Builders?
It means that, as a state, we have enormous potential to transform the building sector to be more sustainable in the future. Thousands of Central Florida builders are already LEED certified, yet we are still behind on actual certified square footage. This means that we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to help ensure that new and existing buildings implement more sustainable and greener strategies.
By putting our focus on greener, more sustainable building, we can not only protect our future, but also save some money in the long run.
https://www.architectmagazine.com/practice/usgbc-announces-top-10-states-for-green-building_o