Mayor Emanuel and City Colleges announced that Malcolm X College has received the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design’s (LEED) Gold certification. The LEED rating system was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance. Chicago is a national leader in LEED buildings, with more than 115 public buildings earning this certification. Malcolm X College achieved LEED certification for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at achieving high performance in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. Some of the reasons the Malcolm X College & School of Health Sciences project earned its LEED Gold certification—the second highest level—include: