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Maryland is ranked second in the nation in the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rankings that were announced on Tuesday.
The council determines the rankings per capita, and Maryland’s 119 LEED certified projects were second only to Illinois’ 171.
“The list of the Top 10 States for LEED is a continuing indicator of the widespread recognition of our national imperative to create healthier, high-performing buildings that are better for the environment as well as the people who use them every day,” Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC said in a news release.
“As the economy recovers, green buildings continue to provide for jobs at every professional level and skill set from carpenters to architects. I congratulate everyone in these states whose contributions to resources saved, toxins eliminated, greenhouse gases avoided and human health enhanced help guarantee a prosperous future for our planet and the people who call it home.”
LEED certification requires third party verification that a building, home or community was developed with goals that include “sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency.”
Among Maryland’s green projects, the council singled out improvements at M&T Bank Stadium.
Here are the rankings from the U.S. Green Building Council:
| Rank | State | Projects certified in 2013 | Square feet certified in 2013 | Per-capita square footage |
| 1 | Illinois | 171 | 29,415,284 | 2.29 |
| 2 | Maryland | 119 | 12,696,429 | 2.20 |
| 3 | Virginia | 160 | 16,868,693 | 2.11 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 101 | 13,684,430 | 2.09 |
| 5 (tie) | New York | 259 | 37,839,395 | 1.95 |
| 5 (tie) | California | 595 | 72,729,476 | 1.95 |
| 6 | Oregon | 47 | 6,991,942 | 1.83 |
| 7 | North Carolina | 133 | 17,183,099 | 1.80 |
| 8 | Colorado | 124 | 8,894,187 | 1.77 |
| 9 | Hawaii | 17 | 2,323,379 | 1.71 |
| 10 | Minnesota | 51 | 8,205,155 | 1.55 |
