Atlanta ranks third in nation for ‘green’ building standards

Atlanta’s green tree canopy is famous, but there’s something else big and green about the city these days: our buildings.

According to a new study, Atlanta is one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the country when it comes to our office buildings.

In fact, out of the 30 largest office markets in the United States, Atlanta snagged the third highest spot on the list of eco-conscious office spaces.

The study, conducted by CBRE in conjunction with Maastricht University, showed that more than half of the city’s office space is “green certified,” either through the USGBC LEED program or through Energy Star.

It turns out that nearly 25 percent of all offices in the city are Energy Star labeled—second only to Manhattan and nearly double the national average.

Atlanta moved up from the number five spot last year, and is up from fourth back in 2015.

Chicago and San Francisco have us beat for now, but if the trend of green design and renovation continues, look for Atlanta to continue to get high marks in environmental responsibility.

• 2017 National Green Building Adoption Index [CBRE]