In the recent published LEED in Motion: Industrial Facilities report, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) highlights the progress being made in the manufacturing sector implement LEED standards into the design of industrial facilities. LEED, a rating system devised by the USGBC, evaluates the environmental and sustainable performance of a building. There are currently over 1,750 LEED-certified industrial facilities all over the globe.
Manufacturing is a crucial driver of the economy. In the U.S. alone, manufacturing contributed nearly $2.1 trillion to the GDP, employed over 12 million people, and indirectly supported over 18 million jobs, according to 2014 data from the National Association of Manufacturers. A rent study published by USGBC found that across industries, green construction projects are poised to create more than 3.3 million jobs and $190.3 billion in labor earnings by 2018. With benefits of both sectors combined, LEED-certified industrial facilities are beneficial for both the economy and the environment.
“The growing adoption of LEED in [the manufacturing] sector gives corporations another tool to achieve high-performing business operations and positively impact worker health, reduce water and energy use, and increase cost-savings, all at the same time,” said USGBC CEO and founding chair Rick Fedrizzi in a statement. “The companies who are using LEED for these facilities are raising the bar for the kind of leadership that will deliver the world we want for our children and our communities.”
As of this May, there are 1,113 LEED-certified industrial facilities, amounting to over 307 million square feet of space in the U.S. In addition, another 1,460 projects are currently registered as working toward to achieve LEED certification. Many states have made great contributions in sustainability by building sustainable industrial facilities. Here is a list of the top 20 states, by count of LEED-certified industrial projects.
See the full report here>>
