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Applying LEED for Cities to local governments

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What kinds of cities, towns, and counties have achieved LEED for Cities certification?

Over 140 cities, towns, and counties have been certified, representing a broad range of places around the globe. Large cities such as Houston, Texas, with over 2 million residents, as well as small towns such as Jupiter Inlet Colony, Florida, with just under 500 residents, have certified. The geography and location of cities is also varied, with coastal cities, suburban towns, large counties, desert communities, and urban centers all pursuing certification.

Cities at various points in their sustainability journeys have used LEED for Cities. Places such as Santa Monica, California which adopted its first sustainability plan in 1994, used the rating system to demonstrate leadership and vet their work with a third-party certification. Other places, such as Middleton, Wisconsin, enter the program with new sustainability staff and use the rating system to shape their future sustainability and climate plans.

The LEED for Cities rating system framework is built on pillars that all sustainable cities strive for and should be measured against—thus, the certification proves useful for all levels of experience.

Do project teams need to be sustainability staff?

A variety of team types have been successfully certified. Most often, the process is led by a sustainability manager, but other team structures have included volunteers, such as when the Billings, Montana, Energy and Conservation Commission led the certification process with staff support. Many places also leverage interns and fellows. Keys to success include being empowered by leadership, a clear certification timeline, and staying organized. To dive deeper on project management, take the Project Management course.

What are some common misconceptions about LEED for Cities?

The scalability and flexibility of the rating system has allowed a diversity of places to certify. Yet, as more and more places assess and explore LEED for Cities, a few common myths have arisen. Here’s the truth about those concerns: Common Myths about LEED for Cities and Communities.

Where do I find project profiles and case studies of certified cities, towns and counties?

The LEED for Cities homepage links to several case studies. These can also be found in the project directory and resource library. A few examples are found below:

How does LEED for Cities support local government sustainability efforts, i.e. climate action plans, sustainability plans, resilience plans?

The LEED for Cities rating system categories, prerequisites, and credits serve as a framework to guide urban sustainability practitioners. The framework gives context to practitioners with both quantifiable metrics to measure progress and best practice policies to implement. As a result, many places will integrate principles of the rating system into their planning practices. This includes aligning local climate action plans, sustainability plans, and even comprehensive plans with the LEED for Cities framework.

Additional guides and resources:

How can LEED for Cities be used to advance and measure more walkable and accessible spaces and places?

The LEED for Cities rating system has many strategies that promote all aspects of walkability and mobility. The credits can be used to measure current conditions, such as the use of diverse transportation in the Safe, Multimodal Accessibility credit and implement best practices moving forward. 

How can LEED for Cities aid in meeting municipal decarbonization goals?

The LEED for Cities certification not only provides a third-party verification of achievement, but it also provides best practices that have been vetted by teams of experts that can be put in place to meet local goals. Many credits directly relate to decarbonization and include practices that can aid a city in reaching its commitments. These include:

The certification can also be a catalyst to connect with funding opportunities to advance decarbonization goals:

Who can I contact for more information about LEED for Cities for local governments?

For more information, contact us.

Is there a document I can download and send to my team?

Yes! Click the link below.

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