MADISON, Wis. — The City of Madison is putting stronger environmental standards in place for new, city-owned buildings.

In 2022, nearly half of city operations’ climate pollution came from city-owned buildings and facilities.

The city council approved the proposal this week, which will require new, city-owned buildings to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification standard.LEED is a globally recognized green building certification system which, according to the group, addresses “everything from energy and water use to materials selection, managing waste and indoor environmental quality.”There are four levels of certification. From lowest to highest, the levels are: certified, silver, gold and platinum. In 2025, throughout the U.S., 177 buildings (6% of all certifications) were given platinum status and 1,343 were awarded gold, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. Under Madison’s requirement, all renovations of 5,000 or more square feet are required to meet the LEED Silver certification.”Investing in sustainable buildings is a win-win for our community,” said Madison Alderperson Sean O’Brien. “These higher standards will create healthier spaces for workers and visitors and save money on energy bills. It’s the kind of forward-thinking policy Madison is proud to support.”Since 2008, Madison has had a requirement that all new, city-owned buildings meet the silver certification. The new gold requirement will take effect on June 1.”Our facilities team doesn’t just want to meet requirements, we want to exceed them,” said Bryan Cooper, Assistant City Engineer of Facilities. “Of the fourteen LEED-certified buildings the City currently owns, twelve have already achieved Gold or Platinum certification. This resolution will help us continue to be a sustainable buildings leader in our community.” Related Stories