Maryland is one of the top states in the nation for environmentally friendly building activity, according to a ranking released Wednesday.
The list, produced by the U.S. Green Building Council, measures states based on number of residents and size of new projects that adhere to the group's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, or LEED, standards — widely accepted green building guidelines. The state has placed in the top six spots four times since the council started the list in 2010 and is ranked third this year.
Last year, the group approved 132 projects in Maryland for LEED certification, a total of more than 15.5 million square feet or roughly 2.7 square feet per resident. Only Colorado and Illinois produced more LEED-certified space per-capita.
In 2013, when the council certified 119 projects in Maryland, or roughly 2.2 square feet per capita, the state ranked second.