Home > Newsroom > Golden Triangle Neighborhood Recognized for Sustainability and Quality of Life
WASHINGTON, DC (December 3, 2024) – The Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID) has been awarded LEED v4.1 for Communities Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The unprecedented achievement recognizes the Golden Triangle’s leadership to meet new post-pandemic realities and offers a model for other downtown BIDs around the world.
Platinum-level certification establishes the Golden Triangle as a community that is resilient, green, and has a high quality of life. In fact, the BID area scored in the 93rd percentile of peer communities on Quality of Life metrics for its access to recreation and parks, public transportation, education, and prosperity.
“This is a distinctive honor for the Golden Triangle and it says a lot about our commitment to sustainability and the desirability our community,” said Leona Agouridis, the president of the BID. “USGBC has a robust evaluation process and achieving LEED Platinum certification validates our community’s excellence as we are changing and cultivating a welcoming environment that is attractive to everyone.”
“LEED is a transformative tool for buildings, communities and cities, accelerating progress on sustainability and resilience,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO, USGBC. “By advancing solutions and committing to accountability, the Golden Triangle BID is leading the way to a better world and helping USGBC continue toward our goal of a sustainable future for all.”
Although numerous cities and communities in the United States, including the District of Columbia, have achieved certification under the LEED for Cities and Communities rating system, the Golden Triangle is the only business improvement district in the world to achieve it—first in 2019 and now again in 2024.
Many LEED-certified buildings that make up the BID include features like green roofs, energy efficient construction, water-saving devices and other conservation measures. In total, nearly 60 percent of the building area in the Golden Triangle neighborhood is LEED certified.
Communities undergo a different LEED evaluation process from buildings. The LEED for Communities program evaluates a community’s performance in key metrics including energy, water, waste, transportation, education, health, safety, prosperity and equitability.
The Golden Triangle’s leadership in LEED certification reflects the innovative approach being taken in Washington DC’s central business district. The Golden Triangle is home to the first significant office to residential conversion in the nation’s capital, a growing number of universities, and Washington DC’s global soft landing program.
Innovation characterizes many of the BID’s initiatives, ranging from museum-quality public art, community-building activations, and beautiful landscaping that includes pollinator gardens, to repurposing vacant retail spaces as temporary locations for theater companies, art collectives, restaurants, and shops.
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About the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District Formed in 1998, the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID) enhances Washington, DC’s central business district, the 44-square-block neighborhood stretching from The White House to Dupont Circle. For more information, visit goldentriangledc.com and follow the BID on X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to transforming how buildings and communities are designed, built and operated to create thriving, healthy, equitable and resilient places that advance human and environmental wellbeing. USGBC leads market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, an international network of local community leaders, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools, and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org and connect on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Media Contact Karyn Le Blanc at 202-497-4572 or karyn.leblanc@kglcommunications.com. Or Vince Morris at 202-503-6802 or vince.morris@kglcommunications.com.
