According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED is the most widely recognized green building rating system in the world. LEED certification offers a framework for healthy, efficient, and cost-effective green buildings, providing environmental and social benefits. It serves as a globally recognized symbol of sustainability leadership, supported by a committed community of organizations and individuals driving market transformation.
Each year I take a look at the progress of LEED certification in the lodging industry. This year, I am focusing on the United States. A big thank you to USGBC for providing the latest data.
As of the end of 2025, there were 478 LEED certified hotels in the U.S. Property certification ranges from Certified to Silver to Gold to Platinum. There are currently 12 at the Platinum level, 114 at the Gold level, 202 at the Silver level, and 150 at the Certified level.
Those properties that have earned the very top Platinum level include: Element Downtown Denver East, Home2 Hillandale (Silver Spring, Md.), Fairfield Inn and Suites (Springfield, Mo.), 710 Wilshire (Santa Monica, Calif.), AC Hotel – the Cove at Oyster Point (South San Francisco), Tysons Corner Hotel (Va.), HWS Hotel San Jose (Calif.), 1400 W Peachtree – Hotel (Atlanta), Hoxton Hotel (Chicago), The Source Hotel (Denver), and Dream Hollywood Hotel (Calif.). One hotel in West Hollywood, Calif. chose to remain confidential.
California ‘LEEDs’ the Way
The top five states (including Washington, D.C.) with LEED certified lodging establishments: California with 70, Washington, D.C. with 38, Florida with 33, Maryland, New York and Ohio with 25, and Virginia with 22.
The cities with the most LEED certified lodging establishments: New York with 18, Chicago with 15, and Atlanta with nine.
Not surprisingly, Marriott and Hilton are very well represented, as is Hyatt.
The list goes back to 2011 and runs through December 2025.
LEED v5, the latest version of LEED, emphasizes three main impact areas:
Decarbonization by targeting reductions in operational, embodied, refrigerants, and transportation emissions.
Quality of life by improving health, well-being, resilience, and equity for building occupants and their communities, making spaces not just environmentally friendly but also people friendly.
Ecological conservation and restoration by emphasizing strategies that limit environmental degradation and contribute to the restoration of ecosystems, ensuring that our built environment exists harmoniously with nature.
Click here to learn more about LEED. Interested in receiving the list of the U.S. lodging establishments currently LEED certified? Write to me at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com. To explore all of the LEED projects around the world (110,000+), click here.
Green Lodging News Adds ENML to Product Directory
Green Lodging News has added ENML to the Amenities/Dispensers/Toiletries section of its Green Product & Service Directory. ENML offers fluoride-free toothpaste and mouthwash tablets—the zero-waste alternative to traditional tubes. Made with natural, vegan ingredients like micro-hydroxyapatite for enamel strengthening, the plastic-free, compostable packaging and carbon-neutral shipping align perfectly with green lodging initiatives. Travel-friendly, TSA-approved, and available in bulk refills for cost-effective stocking. Delight eco-minded guests while reducing waste. Visit enml.com or contact info@enml.com for hospitality partnerships.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers, and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Get in our Green Supplier Spotlights!
Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, publishes the Wednesday Green Supplier Spotlight and Thursday Green Suppliers Spotlight. Green Supplier Spotlight features just one vendor and Green Suppliers Spotlight features multiple vendors. Click here for a Green Supplier Spotlight sample and rate sheet. Click here for a Green Suppliers Spotlight sample and rate sheet. Both e-blasts that reach 17,588 subscribers have been built to generate quick leads. A report is sent a week after each e-blast that includes the number of e-mails sent, number of opens, and number of click-throughs. Contact Glenn Hasek at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com for more information.
Planning Advertising for 2026?
In addition to the Spotlight ads described above, Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for other advertising spots for 2026. Many excellent spots are available on our website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. The Green Lodging News website last month welcomed 55,000 different visitors and experienced 285,000 page views. Interested in receiving a 2026 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com. Thank you to all those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
Newsletter & Green Supplier Spotlight Circulation
The circulation of our weekly e-newsletter and Green Supplier Spotlights currently stands at 17,588. Thank you to our new subscribers for signing up. Be sure to encourage your colleagues to do the same. There are “subscribe” links on the Green Lodging News home page. You may also e-mail greenlodgingnews@gmail.com to be added to our list.
Green Lodging News & Social Media
Green Lodging News now has 1,630 Twitter followers. Thank you to all of those who follow our tweets. In addition to following us on Twitter, be sure to bookmark the Green Lodging News Blog in your browser. More importantly, participate with your comments. Green Lodging News is also on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” us there. Green Lodging News now has more than 1,200 Facebook followers.
As always, I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
