Manya Rathore
Research expert covering India
Green and energy-efficient buildings in the United States - statistics & facts
Buildings in the United States have a big carbon footprint. Although there are other sectors that are much more carbon intensive, commercial and residential buildings were responsible for 551 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2024. That amounted to roughly 11.5 percent of all CO₂ emissions from energy consumption in the U.S. that year. The residential sector's carbon footprint was slightly higher than that of commercial buildings. Although the Trump administration has been rolling back on climate and environmental protection, the demand for green and energy-efficient buildings has been rising in the past years.
The existence of all those certification systems signals the appetite for green buildings, as they facilitate accessing information about a building’s climate footprint, energy usage, and other characteristics that buyers are eager to be aware of before making an important decision.
What sustainability upgrades are U.S. Americans choosing?
Most the energy consumed by residential buildings in the U.S. in 2024 was used for heating and cooling, followed by refrigeration, using appliances, and lighting. In addition to those activities, commercial buildings also use a lot of energy to operate computers, equipment, and other machines. The impact of heating and cooling, which are some of the most energy-intensive processes in both types of buildings, can be reduced with better isolation and using more efficient heating and cooling equipment. Heat pumps sales have increased in the U.S. surpassing those of air furnaces since 2022. Heat pumps are more efficient and environmentally friendly than other heating systems. There are also other types of popular upgrades to increase the sustainability of a building, such as renewable energy installations, water efficiency upgrades, which can be very effective in territories with water scarcity, and resiliency measures among others.What are the leading green building certificates in the U.S.?
The leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) is one of the most popular certificates in the United States. As of May 2025, the surface area of buildings with a Platinum LEED certificate, the highest sustainability level, amounted to 667 million square feet. Energy Star is another popular certification system for buildings. Despite some fluctuations, the surface area of buildings certified by Energy Star has increased by over a billion square feet every year in the past decade and a half. There are also other certificates, such as the HERS index or NGBS, which are also very popular even though they focus exclusively on residential real estate. Finally, the WELL certification describes the health impact of a building.The existence of all those certification systems signals the appetite for green buildings, as they facilitate accessing information about a building’s climate footprint, energy usage, and other characteristics that buyers are eager to be aware of before making an important decision.
