These states and cities now require or encourage government-financed construction to follow the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, a set of building guidelines administered by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council. The federal government's General Services Administration, landlord to most federal agencies, also applies the program to its new buildings.
The president of the U.S. Green Building Council says adoption by government builders will have a "ripple effect" in supporting the market for sustainable building materials and encourage private builders to build green.
LEED requires builders to follow a checklist of environmentally sensitive design and building practices. LEED buildings tend to have more natural light, use nontoxic materials and better insulation. While they also can use solar power or collect rainwater, the buildings are often not much different than standard buildings, though their upfront costs can be modestly higher.
Since LEED was launched in 2000, more than 200 buildings have been certified and 1,800 more have signed up. Guidelines are created though negotiations among interest groups, including real-estate companies, architects, environmental activists, material manufacturers and government.
In April, Washington state passed a law that requires state agencies to use LEED except in circumstances where the agency can prove a reason not to. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued an executive order requiring LEED in December. Michigan Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm signed a similar directive in April. Dozens of cities and counties require LEED certification on municipal projects, including Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. No governments require private developers to follow LEED.
Maryland fell short of adopting LEED. This spring, the state legislature passed a bill that would encourage, though not require, state buildings to follow the program.
