How Many Projects Pursued LEED in 2023?

Boardwalk was awarded LEED Platinum in January 2023. Image courtesy of Yardi Matrix

During the first half of 2023, the U.S. Green Building Council awarded some level of LEED certification to 231 multifamily projects nationally, but only 179 of these made their information public, according to the institution’s data. These 179 projects totaled nearly 9.2 million square feet. By composition, this year’s volume featured 18 Platinum designations, 80 certifications to the Gold level, 78 to the Silver level and three projects received basic LEED certification.

By state, Michigan ranked first with 39 LEED certifications, followed by California and Pennsylvania (each with 31) and New York (five). Were it a state, the District of Columbia would occupy the second position with 33 LEED certifications awarded during the first half of 2023.

READ ALSO: Top States for LEED-Certified Multifamily Buildings in 2022

California led by number of LEED Platinum certifications, with nine multifamily projects receiving USGBC’s highest designation. Next in line was New York with two projects. Washington, Oregon, New Jersey, Kansas, Massachusetts, Texas and Washington, D.C., each had one LEED Platinum project.

Notable LEED Platinum-awarded multifamily projects

An 86,063-square-foot project at 2050 Grand Concourse in the Bronx, NY, received LEED Platinum certification in February with a scorecard of 96 points. The property comprises 96 affordable units and received funding as part of NYSERDA’s Buildings of Excellence Competition. The building’s sustainability features include high-performance exterior insulation, solar panels, high-efficiency HVAC systems, recycled building materials, low-flow plumbing fixtures, low-VOC paints, solvents and adhesives, and Energy Star windows, lighting and appliances.

Amli at Mueller, LEED Platinum recipient since January 2023. Image courtesy of Yardi Matrix

Amli at Mueller is a 279-unit property at 1900 Simond Ave. in Austin, Texas in the Mueller neighborhood, which was named the world’s largest LEED Gold neighborhood. Owned by AMLI Residential, the asset received the LEED Platinum certification in January with an 88-point scorecard. In addition to USGBC’s award, Amli at Mueller received an AEGB 1 Star rating and is Energy Star certified. The property features covered bicycle storage and electric car charging stations, community recycling, WaterSense fixtures, low-VOC flooring and paints, programmable thermostats, premium air filters and native landscaping.

Phase three of the Villa Hermosa development is a nine-building, 100-unit property located at 83805 Dr. Carreon Blvd. in Indio, Calif. The project is entirely reserved for households earning 30 to 50 percent of AMI. Similar to the project’s first two phases, the apartments are retained for farm workers. Owned by Coachella Valley Housing Coalition, the asset received LEED Platinum in May with a scorecard of 87 points. The property meets the energy standards required by Energy Star and Green Property Management, in addition to USGBC’s guidelines.

The Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony, Phase 3C (Boston, Mass.). Image courtesy of Nate Thomas at TAT

The Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony, Phase 3C, in south Boston is a 55-unit affordable senior housing expansion that earned LEED Platinum in April with a scorecard of 86.5 points. The building is an adaptive reuse of a 1940-built property, which is one of the country’s oldest federal public housing developments. Designed by The Architectural Team, the project was heavily influenced by principles of Passive House practices, with substantial focus on optimizing building performance. Its sustainability features include high-performance windows and highly efficient mechanical systems, a roof-mounted photovoltaic array and, during construction, the use of low-carbon materials to reduce the embodied carbon.

Boardwalk is a 171-unit partially affordable property completed last year in suburban Seattle at 434 Kirkland Way. Under MRM Capital’s umbrella, the asset was LEED Platinum certified in January with a scorecard of 85 points. According to Yardi Matrix data, the property was built with aid from a $56 million construction loan issued in 2019 by Allianz Insurance Co.