Recently, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released its national ranking of the top states in the country for LEED green building and Colorado is the fifth state in the nation for 2015. Adams State University Richardson Hall remodel is included in the notable projects that certified in Colorado in 2015.
Scott Travis, Adams State Facilities Services director, said Richardson Hall was initially slated for LEED certification, but with the help of the maintenance crew and construction team the building obtained a LEED Silver. “It is not only important to build sustainable structures but also maintain the sustainable operations over the life of the structure. Sustainable building operations benefit our natural environment, economy, health and productivity.” LEED certification will be included in the remodel of Adams State’s East Campus.
The rankings come at an important time for states looking to reduce their energy use. LEED-certified spaces use less energy and water resources, save money for families, businesses and taxpayers, reduce carbon emissions and create a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.
“Colorado is a nationwide leader in green building and LEED certification. LEED creates jobs and increases opportunities for Colorado’s workers and businesses while contributing billions of dollars to the state’s economy,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair of USGBC. “LEED has become an essential standard for the transformation of building design and construction. LEED certified buildings drive economic growth, creates jobs and makes communities healthier.”
The annual ranking is developed by analyzing each state in terms of square feet of LEED certified space per state resident. Now in its sixth year, the list highlights states throughout the country that made significant strides in sustainable building design, construction and transformation throughout 2015. Colorado certified 95 projects representing 12,218,992 square feet of real estate, or 2.43 square feet per resident, in 2015.
“With a focus on health and the built environment, Coloradans are persistently blazing a trail for LEED certifications and sustainable building,” said Patti Mason, executive director, USGBC-Colorado Chapter. “Projects such as the RTD Commuter Rail Maintenance Facility, which blew past their goal of LEED Silver and achieved LEED Gold; Lionstone Gates, a multi-family low-rise consisting of 262 LEED Gold units; and school districts that strive to teach kids how to live green, showcase how the Centennial State has become a model for green building.”
In addition, data from USGBC’s 2015 Green Building Economic Impact Study show LEED construction is expected to support 103,000 total jobs in Colorado and have a total impact on GDP of $9.05 billion from 2015-2018.
A few notable projects that certified in Colorado in 2015 include:
- Richardson Hall, Adams State University, Alamosa, LEED Silver
- Alamosa County New Annex Facility, LEED Silver
- Pueblo County Judicial Center, LEED Silver
- Avery Parsons Elementary, Buena Vista, LEED Certified
- City of Boulder Fire Station 8, LEED Silver
- Laurel Village Residence Halls (LEED Gold) and Laurel Village Pavilion (LEED Platinum), Colorado State University
- North Colorado Springs Readiness Center, Colorado Springs, LEED Platinum
- Commuter Rail Maintenance Facility in Denver, LEED Gold
Collectively, 1,633 commercial and institutional projects became LEED certified within the Top 10 States in 2015, representing 274.9 million square feet of real estate. Worldwide, 4,837 projects were certified in 2015, representing 818.9 million square feet. Nearly 75,000 projects representing 14.4 billion square feet of space have been LEED-certified to date.
USGBC calculates the list using per-capita figures as a measure of the human element of green building. This also allows for fair comparisons among states with significant differences in population and number of buildings.
In April, the USGBC Colorado Chapter will bring together green building leaders at the 2016 Rocky Mountain Green Conference.
