The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released its annual list of “Top 10 States for LEED,” with New York leading the country. The rankings are based on LEED-certified gross square footage per capita over the past year.

The top states in order were New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, Washington, Georgia, Virginia, California, Colorado, Hawaii, and Maryland, with the District of Columbia also leading nationally.

The rankings are based on USGBC’s LEED rating system, the world’s most widely used green building program. As part of its efforts, USGBC has developed a variety of tools, including educational offerings, professional credentials, and a nationwide network of local communities to make green building a more common, achievable practice.

“The LEED certification system is a vital tool for both organizations and governments seeking to create better living, working, and learning spaces while addressing the urgent challenges of climate change, health, and affordability,” said Peter Templeton, USGBC president and CEO. “The top 10 report highlights the remarkable progress of the public and private sectors towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, health impacts, and operating costs in buildings across their states. USGBC applauds the Top 10 states for their leadership in adopting the readily available technologies and proven green building solutions needed to advance healthy, responsible, and equitable communities in every state.”

Access the summary of the report and the Top 10 States for LEED with notable projects via USGBC.