The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED certification program, developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) in 1993, is a rating system for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of environmentally responsible buildings. By 2015, more than 80,000 buildings had received LEED certification for their efficient use of natural resources. Of course, technology plays a big role in certification. If you are traveling to one of the below cities, make sure to gaze upon its iconic LEED architectural genius. They are rated the Top 5 LEED certified in the world…
Willis Tower, Chicago (LEED Gold)
Formerly the Sears Tower, Chicago’s iconic 108-story skyscraper received LEED Gold certification in 2018. Undergoing a $500 million renovation at the time, Willis Tower made a number of significant updates to reduce its carbon footprint, including installing high-efficiency lighting systems, improving the building’s HVAC system, new air media, fan gearboxes, and fan blades on the building’s 4 cooling towers, along with installing low-flow units on over 450 sinks, and 650 toilets and urinals.
TAIPEI 101, Taipei, Taiwan (LEED Platinum)
One of the tallest LEED-certified buildings in the world is TAIPEI 101, which towers 1,285 feet above the Taiwanese capital. The megastructure received its LEED Platinum certification in 2011, the highest level possible to attain through the program. The building is designed to withstand earthquakes and typhoons and retrofitted with energy-efficient upgrades that reduced its overall energy consumption by 33.41 million kilowatt hours (kWh).
The Empire State Building, New York City (LEED Gold)
Another famous skyscraper which has attained LEED certification is New York’s Empire State Building, which was certified LEED Gold in 2011. Thanks to 55 million kWh in carbon offsets purchased by Anthony Malkin of the Empire State Building Company, the building is carbon neutral.
Facebook Headquarters, Menlo Park, California (LEED Platinum)
The home of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp is a sprawling megacomplex in California’s Bay Area, but efforts to incorporate sustainable design elements helped it earn the highest possible LEED certification, LEED Platinum. The social media giant says its HQ is powered 100% by renewable energy, thanks to the 3 megawatts generated by rooftop solar panels. It also says it’s installed the most efficient heating and cooling systems available, and monitors building performance through high-tech building management systems.
The Crystal, London (LEED Platinum)
The Crystal, located on Royal Victoria Dock in east London, is an 18,000 square meter living example of what’s possible with sustainable building technology, billing itself as one of the most sustainable buildings in the world. The uniquely designed structure hosts the world’s largest exhibition on the future of cities. The building’s energy management system is produced by Siemens, and it includes a wide range of energy-efficient features like self-shading facades, solar panels, and ground-source heat pumps which warm the building using 100% natural sources.
