Top 10 states for LEED in 2022
Press release Project directoryTop 10 states for LEED
The top 10 states showcases the expansion of green building across the U.S.
Buildings that are LEED-certified create healthier spaces for people, use fewer resources, reduce carbon emissions and improve efficiency while providing operational cost savings. With a continued commitment to action in the fight against climate change, 2022 saw a growing movement in green building and sustainability.
This year’s top 10 states certified 1,225 projects representing over 353 million gross square feet of commercial space. Read the press release.
Top 10 states for LEED in 2022
| Rank | State | Per capita square footage |
Project count |
Total gross area (sq ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MA | 3.76 | 96 | 26,442,008 |
| 2 | IL | 3.48 | 91 | 44,577,321 |
| 3 | NY | 3.17 | 142 | 64,042,120 |
| 4 | CA | 2.44 | 386 | 96,457,139 |
| 5 | MD | 2.39 | 80 | 14,769,661 |
| 6 | GA | 2.25 | 66 | 24,068,422 |
| 7 | CO | 2.17 | 59 | 12,532,909 |
| 8 | VA | 1.89 | 95 | 16,289,394 |
| 9 | TX | 1.67 | 174 | 48,717,532 |
| 10 | OR | 1.43 | 36 | 6,066,035 |
| DC* | 46.06 | 115 | 31,759,516 |
The list of states in the U.S. with certified GSF per capita includes commercial projects certified in 2022. State rankings are calculated by dividing commercial square footage certified in 2022 by state population per 2020 U.S. census records. Washington, D.C. is not ranked due to its status as a federal district
Top 10 states for LEED professionals
Transforming the building sector to be more sustainable requires a skilled and knowledgeable workforce. This workforce is contributing to the development and advocacy of LEED and is being quickly embraced by the next generation workforce and decision makers. USGBC has been committed to cultivating and supporting green building professionals through its credentialing and certificate programs.
This year, USGBC is also releasing an additional Top 10 list recognizing states with the most LEED green building professionals.
Top 10 states for LEED professionals in 2022
| State | Population | Total credentials |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 39,538,223 | 26,710 |
| NY | 20,201,249 | 12,381 |
| TX | 29,145,505 | 10,564 |
| FL | 21,538,187 | 9,882 |
| IL | 12,812,508 | 8,423 |
| MA | 7,029,917 | 6,972 |
| VA | 8,631,393 | 6,670 |
| CO | 5,773,714 | 6,499 |
| WA | 7,705,281 | 6,097 |
| PA | 13,002,700 | 5,826 |
Explore the projects in each state
Scroll through and click the photos to view the projects in the LEED directory that contributed to the state achievements.
Celebrate your state
Join us in celebrating this leadership—use the #Top10LEED hashtag to share your state’s ranking with your neighbors and colleagues on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Display a badge
Promote your state’s accomplishment by adding a top 10 badge to your website. Download the digital badge for your state.
Share a GIF sticker
Find and share stickers on your social media channels, online and in text messages. Check out the Top 10 GIFs.
Access the toolkit
Use sample social media posts and newsletter content to promote your state and your 2022 LEED projects. Download the toolkit.
Design your own post
Use our template to create a post celebrating your state. Share stats, a project, or a personal message.
See the stats a different way
Check out how many American football fields each state's square footage represents.
| California | 1,675 football fields |
| New York | 1,112 football fields |
| Texas | 846 football fields |
| Illinois | 774 football fields |
| Massachusetts | 459 football fields |
| Georgia | 418 football fields |
| Virginia | 283 football fields |
| Maryland | 256 football fields |
| Colorado | 218 football fields |
| Oregon | 105 football fields |
Take a look back
Now in its 13th year, the annual list is based on the gross square footage of LEED-certified space per capita added in each state over the past year, using U.S. Census data. Take a look at the top 10 states for each year since 2010.
2021 / 2020 / 2019 / 2018 / 2017 / 2016 / 2015 / 2014 / 2013 / 2012 / 2011 / 2010