Kentucky’s Second Largest City Earns LEED Silver Certification
By Fay Harvey
LEXINGTON, Ky. — On Dec. 20, the U.S. Green Building Council awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification to the city of Lexington, Ky. Lexington is the second city in the state to receive LEED distinction, as Louisville achieved LEED Silver status in December 2021. Both cities are now part of a growing list of more than 300 U.S. municipalities that are pursuing or have earned LEED certification through the LEED for Cities and Communities rating system.
LEED for Cities and Communities is a framework for local leaders to create and guide responsible, sustainable and intentional plans for natural systems, energy, water, waste, transportation and other variables that contribute to the environment’s wellbeing. For cities — including towns, counties and other local government jurisdictions — LEED certification is initiated by the governing body. Using LEED resources, cities and communities can monitor their sustainability progress by accessing data and benchmarking against global locations.
The LEED Silver certification seamlessly aligns with Empower Lexington: A Plan for a Resilient Community. The plan was initially developed in 2012 to guide the city’s government and community toward a sustainable and resilient future, focusing on improving ecology, transportation, land use, water efficiency, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, building materials, resources and quality of life. According to the City of Lexington website, the initial plan laid the groundwork for additional conversations about the design of higher-efficiency buildings and lower-carbon operations, the creation of a Sustainability Section within the Division of Environmental Services and the development of the Solarize Lexington Program. The plan was updated in August 2024 to include goals to increase tree canopy from 23% to 30%, ensure that 70% of homes (apartments or houses) are within a half mile of a greenspace or park, build shared trails and create safe routes for biking and walking, expand and improve public transportation options and more.
Updating the plan led local leaders to pursue LEED for Cities and Communities designation, where the city excelled in the categories of natural systems and ecology, quality of life and innovation when undergoing the LEED certification evaluation. Outlined plans for natural systems and ecology include preserving land with vegetative and tree cover, increasing greenspace access, reducing light pollution and supporting existing programs that facilitate sustainable agricultural practices. Under the quality of life section, Lexington outlined plans for affordable housing projects, walkable communities, job growth and small-business development.
“Transforming our cities to be more sustainable happens building by building, block by block and neighborhood by neighborhood. Lexington understands the value of LEED and through certification is setting goals and deploying strategies that are appropriate for their local community and residents,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO, USGBC, in a statement. “Each new LEED certification is one step closer to revolutionizing the places where we live, learn, work and play.”
Lexington officials will continue enacting sustainability initiatives and are committed to adopting policies to improve the environment and life for local communities. As part of an initiative coined Imagine Lexington 2045, created by the Lexington Planning Commision in November 2023, the city aims to reach net-zero goals by 2050 through focusing on sustainable design, environmental protection, job creation, community connection and urban and rural balance.
“Lexington is actively exploring steps our community can take to become more sustainable, including improvements in recycling and solar energy,” said Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton in a statement. “This recognition is a big step forward.”