Washington, D.C. was named the first LEED for Cities Platinum city in the world by the U.S. Green Building Council. Mayor Muriel Bowser was presented the honor by Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of the USGBC, on the steps of Dunbar High School, the highest-rated LEED-certified school in the country.
"It is in the best interest of Washington, D.C.'s safety, economy and future to take sustainability and resiliency seriously, and as the nation's capital, we have a special obligation to lead the way on environmental issues," said Bowser. "We are proud to be recognized as the world's first LEED Platinum city. Our commitment to these issues will not yield, and we look forward to continuing to build a greener, more resilient and more sustainable D.C."
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a green-building rating system. The LEED for Cities program was launched last year to help cities measure and communicate their sustainability performance across an array of metrics, including energy, water, waste, transportation and human experience (which includes education, prosperity, equity, and health and safety).
According to the USGBC, Washington, D.C.'s LEED Platinum certification "recognizes the outcomes, rather than the intent," of the city's leadership in creating a sustainable and resilient built environment. D.C. has reduced greenhouse gas emissions, supported clean-energy innovation, and focused on inclusive prosperity and livability in all eight wards.
"Washington, D.C. is setting the bar for smart cities all around the world by leveraging technology and data to achieve sustainability and resiliency goals, creating healthy and safe communities where citizens can thrive," said Ramanujam of the USGBC. "Mayor Bowser and the city are once again showing that our nation's capital is performing at the highest levels and that its buildings, neighborhoods and communities are as sustainable as possible."