Notable projects that certified in these states in 2013 include:

• Illinois: The Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie, LEED Gold.
• Maryland: M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, LEED Gold, home of the Baltimore Ravens.
• Virginia: 1776 Wilson Blvd. in Arlington, LEED Platinum, the first commercial building in Arlington to earn Platinum certification.
• Massachusetts: The Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center in Holyoke, LEED Platinum, the first university research computing center to achieve Platinum certification.
• New York: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, LEED Silver, home of the Brooklyn Nets and future home of the N.Y. Islanders.
• California: SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco, LEED Gold.
• Oregon: The Edith Green – Wendell Wyatt Federal Building in Portland, LEED Platinum.
• North Carolina: Mother Earth Brewing in Kinston, LEED Gold.
• Colorado: Fort Collins Museum of Discovery in Fort Collins, LEED Platinum.
• Hawaii: Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Kapolei, LEED Silver, the largest certified project in the state.
• Minnesota: The Carleton College Weitz Center for Creativity in Northfield, LEED Gold, the college's third project to earn LEED certification.

Collectively, 1,777 commercial and institutional projects became LEED certified within the top 10 states in 2013, representing 226.8 million square feet of real estate. Worldwide, 4,642 projects were certified in 2013, representing 596.8 million square feet.

Cumulatively, more than 20,000 projects representing 2.9 billion square feet of space have been LEED-certified worldwide, with another 37,000 projects representing 7.6 billion square feet in the pipeline for certification. USGBC launched LEED v4, the newest version of the rating system, in the fall of 2013. The latest version continues to raise the bar for the entire green building industry, which McGraw-Hill Construction projects could be worth up to $248 billion in the U.S. by 2016. LEED v4 features increased technical rigor; new market sector adaptations for data centers, warehouses and distribution centers, hospitality, existing schools, existing retail, and midrise residential projects; and a simplified submittal process supported by a robust and intuitive technology platform.

About the U.S. Green Building Council

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, a nationwide network of chapters and affiliates, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit  usgbc.org, explore the Green Building Information Gateway (GBIG) and connect on  Twitter,  Facebook and  LinkedIn.

About LEED

The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction, maintenance and operations of green buildings. Every day, more than 1.5 million square feet of space is certified using LEED. More than 57,000 commercial and institutional projects are currently participating in LEED, comprising 10.5 billion square feet of construction space in 147 countries and territories. In addition, more than 50,000 residential units have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system. Learn more at  usgbc.org/LEED. 

SOURCE U.S. Green Building Council