The U.S. Green Building Council says that the LEED residential market has grown 19% since 2017.
Nearly 500,000 single family, multifamily, and affordable housing units have been certified globally, and more than 400,000 units are located in the U.S. On average, LEED-certified homes use 20% to 30% less energy than a traditional home, with some homeowners reporting up to 60% savings, according to a USGBC news release.
The USGBC report, LEED in Motion: Residential, lists the top 10 states for LEED certified homes in the U.S., with California coming in first. California has nearly 40,000 certified residential units, followed by Texas with more than 24,500.
Certified homes also save on water usage and are designed to support human health and comfort. LEED encourages designs that maximize indoor fresh air and use materials that help reduce exposure to toxins and pollutants connected to asthma, allergies, and other respiratory ailments.
Related Stories
| Dec 20, 2012
China to build sustainable city for 180,000 from scratch
A 120-million sf urban development in China will be designed according to high green standards for about 180,000 residents.
| Dec 20, 2012
Air duct trade group urges maintenance, restoration professionals to avoid chemical cleaners
The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) urges professionals to avoid using chemicals as a method for cleaning and maintaining air duct systems.
| Dec 20, 2012
Valencia College shifts from LEED to Green Globes on new project for more flexibility
The Lake Nona campus of Valencia College in Florida shifted its sustainability standard to Green Globes largely to be able to use a bipolar-ionization system to treat its indoor air -- something LEED didn't allow.
| Dec 20, 2012
LEED-certified schools don’t have to cost more to build, save average of 33% on energy
On average, green schools use 33% less energy and 32% less water than their conventional counterparts, and save $100,000 per year on direct operating costs, according to the U.S. Green Building Council.
| Dec 13, 2012
New OSHA initiatives on tap at AGC safety and health conference
More than 150 industry professionals will discuss the development of regulatory and legislative activity on national and local levels at the Associated General Contractors of America’s health and safety conference.
| Dec 13, 2012
So-called fiscal cliff is already affecting construction jobs, AGC finds
In November, the construction industry shed 20,000 jobs and its unemployment rate reached 12.2%, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America.
| Dec 13, 2012
New York City poised to enact recycling mandate for multi-family dwellings
New York City lags behind other large cities in recycling with only 15% of residential trash being recycled. A new bill passed by the City Council aims to improve the rate by changing how new apartment buildings are constructed.
| Dec 13, 2012
Pima County, Ariz. officials say improved code enforcement scores will help lower insurance bills
Insurance Service Office, Inc. (ISO) recently analyzed building codes and enforcement and found that Pima County, Ariz., consistently outscored comparable jurisdictions in Arizona and the nation.
| Dec 13, 2012
D.C. aims to be a green leader with new building codes
The District of Columbia has released a revised set of building codes to make it a leader in green construction.