More than 20 years after Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls completed their first three-peat, the state of Illinois has won its own, admittedly less glamorous, version: For the third consecutive year, it ranks first among the states in a survey of energy-conserving buildings.
The survey, to be released Tuesday by the U.S. Green Building Council, found that Illinois had 161 new and renovated projects in 2015 that earned the green building equivalent of the Good Housekeeping seal of approval — a LEED (for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.
Those projects included the high-profile renovations of the Virgin Hotel and the Chase Tower, both in the Loop.
The survey, which ranks states on a per-capita basis, is a rare bit of good news for a state plagued by political infighting between its Republican governor, Bruce Rauner, and Democratic legislators.
Trailing Illinois were Maryland, Massachusetts, Washington and Colorado. California had the most square feet of LEED-certified projects — more than 87 million square feet compared with Illinois’ nearly 44 million square feet — but it ranked seventh on a per-capita basis.
Under the LEED rating system, new and renovated buildings score points for things like using sustainable building materials and reducing water usage. Owners of certified buildings often put a LEED plaque near their front door to market themselves to energy-conscious tenants.
In the past, leaders of the Washington-based council have attributed Illinois’ high ranking to two factors: Many Illinois-based corporations have adopted green building practices and the state and Chicago governments often require them.
Twitter @BlairKamin
