USGBC announces 10,000th LEED-certified building
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced a major milestone: The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) has certified the 10,000th LEED commercial project.
“Business leaders around the globe are using LEED to design, build, maintain and operate their buildings,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “Ten thousand commercial certified buildings stand as a powerful example that a strong triple bottom line translates to real, tangible success.”
The Live Oak Family Resource Center in Santa Cruz, Calif., which was awarded LEED Platinum by GBCI, earned the 10,000th distinction. The community center is a place for families to come for guidance, information and referrals on childbirth and parenting, health education and services, youth and senior programs, food distribution and other community needs.
LEED fully launched in 2000 with the first rating system for new construction and major renovation projects, according to the USGBC. Since its creation, LEED has certified more than 1.4 million sq. ft. of new and existing buildings every day.
“We’ve just scratched the surface of what’s possible in the green building field,” Fedrizzi added. “In 10 short years, we’ve fundamentally changed how we construct and operate buildings and communities, and during that time LEED has continued to evolve, pushing sustainable building practice forward with each evolution. But there’s much more to do.”