The USGBC, a non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable and green building design, has announced that three billion square feet of green
building space is LEED® certified.

The U.S. Green Building Council has announced that 3 billion square feet of green construction space has earned LEED® certification around the globe.

"This milestone is the result of leaders across our industry making the business and environmental case for healthy, sustainable buildings," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. "More than 4.3 million people live and work in LEED buildings. As our numbers continue to gain momentum, the impact is significant "?u jobs are created, revenue is generated and well-being is prioritized "?u proving every day that LEED works."

Green construction has grown massively over a short period of time: McGraw-Hill estimates that it will comprise half of U.S. construction and be worth up to $248 billion by 2016. LEED is recognized and used across the globe, and is present in more than 140 countries and territories.

Some of the most well-known LEED buildings include The World Bank in Washington, D.C.; the Fifth Avenue Tiffany & Co., the Time Life Building and the Empire State Building in New York, N.Y.; the Merchandise Mart in Chicago; and Taipei 101, one of the tallest buildings in the world, in Taipei, Taiwan.

Recently certified LEED buildings that helped tip the scales to 3 billion square feet include the Hilmar Cheese Company's LEED Platinum Headquarters and Innovation Center. Certified in February 2014, this 55,000-square-foot building in Hilmar, Calif., utilizes daylighting strategies and occupancy sensors and employs solar energy to provide about 25 percent of the overall building energy demand.

For more information about LEED, please visit usgbc.org.

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