Oakland County, MI

• The Local Market Leadership Award from the US Green Building Council Detroit Region recognizes exemplary use of green building and sustainability practices that improve quality of life in the Metro Detroit area. 
• The USGBC-WM's Certified Green Community Award acknowledges projects that make extraordinary contributions to creating energy-efficient, environmentally conscious communities that drive local development.
• The county’s LEED for Cities Gold certification exemplifies its commitment to adopting environmentally sound practices that prioritize accessible green spaces, energy efficiency, water conservation, and reduced carbon emissions. 

Pontiac, Mich. – Oakland County has been recognized for its commitment to sustainability, earning two distinguished honors: the 2024 Local Market Leadership Award from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Detroit Region and the Certified Green Community Award from the U.S. Green Building Council of West Michigan (USGBC-WM). Both awards celebrate Oakland County’s LEED for Cities Gold certification, highlighting its innovative approach to fostering healthier, more resilient communities through sustainable practices. 

“Our commitment to sustainability in Oakland County is about creating a healthier, more vibrant future for everyone,” County Executive Dave Coulter said. “These awards reflect the hard work of our staff, communities and partners, showing that together we can lead the way in building more resilient, healthy and environmentally friendly communities.”

The USGBC Detroit Region presented Oakland County with the Local Market Leadership Award during the Building Transformation Forum on Dec. 4 in Detroit. The award recognizes exemplary use of green building and sustainability practices that improve quality of life in the Metro Detroit area.

“USGBC’s Local Market Leadership Awards spotlight commitment and innovation in green building,” said Lana Crouse, director of the USGBC Detroit Region. “Oakland County’s achievement of the 2024 LEED for Cities Gold certification demonstrates how sustainable practices directly enhance quality of life for residents, visitors and businesses.” 

Oakland County was further honored for their LEED for Cities certification by the USGBC-WM at the 2024 Annual Party & Leadership Awards Ceremony on Dec. 5 in Grand Rapids. The Certified Green Community Award acknowledges projects that make extraordinary contributions to creating energy-efficient, environmentally conscious communities that drive local development.

“These recognitions underscore Oakland County’s efforts to achieve measurable environmental progress and reflect County Executive Dave Coulter’s vision of fostering sustainable, thriving communities,” said Julie Lyons Bricker, Oakland County’s sustainability project manager. 

The county’s LEED for Cities Gold certification exemplifies its commitment to adopting environmentally sound practices that prioritize energy efficiency, water conservation and reduced carbon emissions.

The county scored particularly well in the topics of abundant green space, natural resource conservation and restoration, stormwater management, smart water systems and several quality-of-life performance measures. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and has recently been expanded to include certifying cities and communities for their sustainability efforts.

Both awards reinforce Oakland County’s leadership role in advancing sustainability statewide. As part of its vision, the county aims to inspire other municipalities to adopt innovative strategies that address climate change and support long-term environmental stewardship.