RELEASE: City of Indianapolis Selected for 2026 LEED for Cities Certification Cohort
City of Indianapolis Selected for 2026 LEED for Cities Certification Cohort
IINDIANAPOLIS—The City of Indianapolis has been selected to join the 2026 LEED for Cities Cohort, an initiative of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The cohort is part of USGBC’s Local Government Leadership Program, which supports cities in improving sustainability, resilience, and quality of life for residents. LEED for Cities provides local governments with a comprehensive framework for tracking sustainability efforts’ impact on people, the environment, and economy.
Since its launch in 2017, USGBC’s Local Government Leadership Program—supported through a longstanding partnership with Bank of America—has provided direct support to nearly 140 local governments representing 58 million people. The program aims to equip municipalities with the tools, resources, and technical assistance necessary to accelerate climate action and advance green building standards in their communities.
Indianapolis is one of four municipalities in the Midwest participating in the 2026 cohort, which is comprised of 17 jurisdictions that represent 2.5 million people across the country.
Insights from the cohort will help the City expand upon existing internal data tracking efforts and lead to the alignment of internal goals with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Participation in the cohort also provides the benefit of learning from peer cities.
“Cities and counties across the world use LEED for Cities to track their sustainability efforts and communicate their progress,” said Mo McReynolds, director of the Indianapolis Office of Sustainability. “With the action items we’ve already achieved from the city’s sustainability and resilience action plan, Thrive Indianapolis, we know we’re capable of ambitious progress. This is an opportunity to share our work more widely and potentially attract new investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency to the city.”
This program will support the Office of Sustainability's ongoing efforts, outlined in Thrive Indianapolis, toward a cleaner and healthier future for Indianapolis community members, visitors, and wildlife alike.
“Local governments are a driving force behind creating more sustainable, healthier communities for all residents,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO, USGBC. “Through the LEED for Cities certification program, these forward-thinking municipalities are setting ambitious goals, measuring their progress, and demonstrating leadership in improving community health, efficiency, resilience, and livability. The 2026 cohort represents a diverse set of cities united in their commitment to creating a better future.”
Using the LEED for Cities rating system, Indianapolis will evaluate performance across key focus areas including natural systems, transportation, energy, and quality of life.
The following are the 16 other local jurisdictions in the 2026 cohort:
Calabasas, CA
Carlsbad, CA
College Park, MD
Commerce City, CO
Fitchburg, WI
Grand Rapids, MI
Hoboken, NJ
La Mesa, CA
Longmont, CO
Lower Merion Township, PA
Manhattan Beach, CA
Medford, MA
Moline, IL
Nashville, TN
Sacramento, CA
Westminster, CO
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