Denver Becomes World's 8th LEED Platinum City

Denver Becomes World's 8th LEED Platinum City

Published on May 13, 2026

The City and County of Denver announced that it has achieved LEED for Cities Platinum certification. Denver is part of a growing group to be certified using the LEED for Cities rating system. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, was created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is the world's most widely used green building rating system.

Expanding on the LEED for buildings rating system, LEED for Cities helps local leaders measure and manage progress toward a more sustainable, resilient and equitable future. Through the certification program, cities create and operationalize responsible, sustainable and specific plans for natural systems, energy, water, waste, transportation and many other factors that contribute to quality of life.

Out of 150 cities across the world that are LEED certified, Denver is one of only eight to achieve LEED for Cities Platinum status in its current version, the highest recognition for urban sustainability and leadership.

"Denver is leading the way in clean energy and resilience," said Mayor Mike Johnston. "This recognition reflects our commitment to powering our communities responsibly and protecting the next generation of Denverites from climate risks."

Denver achieved LEED certification for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at improving sustainability and the standard of living for community members. LEED is designed to help buildings, communities and cities achieve high performance in key areas of social, economic and environmental sustainability.

Denver's certification was driven by several high impact strategies, including:

1. Accelerating Clean Energy and Building Electrification
   Most of Denver's emissions are in our buildings. Buildings and homes are becoming cleaner and more efficient thanks to city investments in renewable energy, upgrades to aging infrastructure, and expanded incentives for clean energy technologies like heat pumps. Key efforts include the nation leading Energize Denver building performance policy, which is producing measurable results. Today, 35% of Denver's large buildings are meeting their energy efficiency targets, up from 15% three years ago. Since 2018, overall energy use among buildings 25,000 square feet and larger has dropped 9%, even as more than 400 new buildings were constructed. Other highlights include a pilot converting 11 downtown buildings from outdated steam systems to efficient electric heat pumps, and a 2026 goal to install 5,000 clean energy systems citywide.
   
   
2. Building a Cooler, More Resilient City
   To combat rising temperatures and extreme heat, Denver is expanding access to cooling programs and growing its urban tree canopy, planting 4,500 new trees last year. The city is also investing in 50 acres of water-efficient, drought-resilient green infrastructure this year. Together, these efforts help reduce heat impacts and strengthen neighborhood resilience.
   
   
3. Getting Around Denver Made Easier and Cleaner
   Denver is continuing to make major investments in walkable, bike-friendly neighborhoods and growing the network of high-quality transit, including new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors and transit efficiency infrastructure. These efforts, combined with strong transportation demand management policies, are providing more access to high quality transit and expanding sustainable mobility options for Denverites.
   
   
4. Enhancing Community Resilience to Extreme Weather
   Innovative projects like the new microgrid at city and partner facilities combine solar power with battery storage to demonstrate grid flexibility and the ability to deliver up to 24 hours a day of backup electricity during outages. Denver also scored highly in emergency preparedness, ensuring the city can respond rapidly to climate-related events.
   
   
5. Empowering Community-Led Climate Action
   Programs like Promotoras Climáticas and the city's Denver Climate Project marketing campaign are engaging people across the city, building awareness and increasing climate-friendly behaviors. Among those who saw the Denver Climate Project campaign, planned climate-friendly actions grew by 25%. These initiatives empower communities to take action.

"Cities like Denver are at the forefront in our fight against climate change. Local leaders better understand the needs of their communities and how to help their residents become more resilient," said Peter Templeton, president and CEO, USGBC. "The LEED for Cities program is a framework for local governments that has transformed the way cities are planned, developed and operated to improve their overall sustainability and quality of life."

To learn more about USGBC's LEED for Cities, please visit https://www.usgbc.org/leed/rating-systems/leed-for-cities.

• News
• Press release
• Sustainability