What was the first skyscraper to achieve LEED Platinum certification?

The first skyscraper to achieve LEED Platinum certification was the Bank of America Tower in New York City.

Also known as One Bryant Park, the 55-story Manhattan office tower received LEED Platinum certification in 2010. It was recognized as the first commercial high-rise in the United States to earn the highest rating in the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design system.

Designed by CookFox Architects and developed by the Durst Organization with Bank of America as its principal tenant, the tower incorporated daylight controls, efficient mechanical systems, recycled materials and an on-site cogeneration plant. Its environmental ambitions were built into the project from the start rather than added as a later renovation.

The wording can cause confusion because LEED Platinum existed before this tower: smaller buildings, including the Philip Merrill Environmental Center, earned the rating earlier. The Bank of America Tower’s distinction concerns a commercial skyscraper or high-rise, not the first LEED Platinum building of any kind.