New Hampshire ranks fourth in the nation for LEED-certified green buildings per capita, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. New Hampshire was the only state in New England to make the top 10 list.

The Green Building Council based its findings on 2010 Census information. It found that New Hampshire had 4.49 square feet of LEED-certified space per person in 2010, including both commercial and institutional buildings.

LEED stands for leadership in energy and environmental design. More than 40,000 projects currently participate in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising more than 7.9 billion square feet of construction space around the world. Nearly 10,000 homes have been certified.

Portsmouth Public Library was the first municipal building in New Hampshire to receive LEED certification. Portsmouth Fire Station 2 on Lafayette Road also is LEED-certified, as is the new Residence Inn Portsmouth on Deer Street. 

The District of Columbia topped the national list with 25.15 square feet of LEED-certified space per person.