Florida Construction News staff writer
The City of Fort Lauderdale has achieved the LEED for Cities Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) – the first city in Broward County to be certified through this rating system, joining a list of more than 125 certified local governments around the world.
“The City of Fort Lauderdale is proud to be one of few cities in Florida to earn the LEED Gold certification. We have long made infrastructure and resiliency a commission priority by investing in projects that improve the quality of life for our neighbors and visitors. We will continue this progress into the future,” said Mayor Dean Trantalis.
LEED evaluates and track progress on economic, environmental and social conditions so local governments attract new economic activity, reach global climate goals, improve air and water quality.
Highlights from Fort Lauderdale’s evaluation include:
- 10 points in the innovation and regional priorities categories for: providing a food forest, protecting sea turtles, working to end homelessness, implementing nature-based solutions for sargassum seaweed challenges, simplifying access to solar energy, and collaborating with regional partners to secure a reliable water source.
- Recognition for ensuring access to green and natural spaces along with integrating resilience strategies and for consistently reducing the intensity of carbon emissions citywide despite serving a growing total daily population of more than 300,000.
The city was also commended for its diverse transportation modes and the work to preserve historic and archaeological sites.
“This certification against an international standard validates the actions the City of Fort Lauderdale is taking to build a sustainable and resilient community,” said Dr. Nancy Gassman, assistant director of public works.
