FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2013

Virginia Business reports that the U.S. Green Building Council based in Washington has listed the Commonwealth of Virginia as the No. 1 state for new eco-friendly buildings in 2012. Virginia had 170 projects encompassing 29.7 million square feet, certified as meeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.

The U.S. Green Building Council measures 3.71 feet of certified space per capita in its rankings.

One of the significant projects was the Cooper Vineyards in Louisa, the first winery on the East Coast to achieve LEED platinum certification. Richmond's green building efforts include the LEED silver certified Fire Station 17 on Semmes Avenue and the new elementary schools, Oak Grove-Bellemeade and Broad Rock.

Fire Station 17