North Carolina ranks seventh-highest in the nation for environmentally friendly buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, reports CharlotteObserver.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings are designed to use less energy and water, reduce carbon emissions and contribute to a healthier environment.
North Carolina certified 133 projects representing 17 million sq. ft. of real estate in 2013.The rankings were based on LEED square footage per resident.