CARSON CITY, NV February 01, 2017
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recently announced that Nevada continues to rank sixth in the nation in per capita Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) space. In 2015, Nevada also ranked sixth in the nation.
The "Top 10 States for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design" ranking by USGBC highlights states that made significant strides in sustainable building design, construction and transformation over the past year. The report recognized Nevada for having 22 projects which became LEED certified in 2016 with a combined total of 6,397,602 certified square feet and 2.37 square feet per capita. LEED is the world's most widely used and recognized green building rating system.
Many of these projects utilized GOE's Green Building Tax Abatement (GBTA) program, which provides incentives for business owners to improve the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings.
Many of these projects utilized GOE's Green Building Tax Abatement (GBTA) program, which provides incentives for business owners to improve the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings.
"Nevada continuing to rank among the top 10 LEED states in the nation is a testament to our GBTA program success" said GOE Energy Program Manager Kelly Thomas. "It is becoming increasingly important that sustainable design and construction be incorporated into both new and existing developments as our population continues to grow. Calculating the list using per capita figures correlates to a measure of the human element of green building, an important concern to a healthy Nevada."
Currently, there are 89 buildings in Nevada that are receiving incentives for energy efficiency and sustainability through the GOE program; 85 of which are LEED certified and 4 of which meet the Green Globes standard, an equivalent rating system recognized by the GOE. These include hotel casino resorts, retail shopping stores, health care facilities, manufacturing and distribution centers, and restaurants. Of the 85 LEED buildings in Nevada, currently 29 are Silver, 54 are Gold, and two are Platinum.
Some of the building owners that took advantage of GOE's program to make their buildings more energy efficient in 2016 include:
- Macy's Inc., which earned eight LEED Gold certificates and received incentives for the energy efficient upgrades made to more than 1.3 million square feet of retail space. Seven properties received an incentive in Clark County, and one in Washoe County.
- Valley Health Systems in Clark County earned one LEED Gold certificate and received incentives for the energy efficient upgrades made to their 359,103 square feet medical center in Clark County. Management introduced daylighting controls among other upgrades.
- Las Vegas Cyclery, which earned LEED Platinum certification, received incentives for the energy efficient upgrades made to 9,793 square feet of retail space in Clark County.
- GOE also has 66 properties registered in the program that are in the process of obtaining certification.
Visit our page to learn more about GOE's Green Building Tax Abatement program.
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About the Governor's Office of Energy
The Governor's Office of Energy oversees energy programs required through statute and those that help to meet the mission of the office, which is to ensure the wise development of Nevada's energy resources in harmony with local community economic needs and Nevada natural resources. For more information about GOE, please visit energy.nv.gov.