LEED in the Nation’s Capitol: A Policy and Planning Perspective on Green Building in Washington, D.C.

Abstract

Washington, D.C., and its metropolitan region are national leaders in the development and implementation of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. According to SustainLane.com, Washington, D.C., ranks second among the nation’s fifty largest cities in the number of LEED-certified buildings per capita. This chapter provides a policy and planning perspective on how LEED standards have been implemented in Washington, D.C. and in selected counties in the Washington metropolitan region, and what other cities and counties can learn from their experiences. A case is made for continuation of LEED development as a key to the future of sustainable development.