Press Release: Site Selection Names 2011 Sustainability Leaders

Atlanta, July 5, 2011: Site Selection has named sustainability pioneers California, the San Francisco metro area and Canada as leaders in the magazine’s second annual Site Selection Sustainability Rankings, published in the July issue.

The rankings derive from a unique index of data points ranging from alternative-fuel vehicles in use to green incentives to corporate end-user facility projects within green industry sectors as measured by Site Selection’s proprietary New Plant Database.

“Top-ranking areas for sustainability don’t just pass restrictive laws or put token solar panels on every edifice,” writes Site Selection Managing Editor Adam Bruns. “They nurture an ecosystem of business, institutions, government and individual citizens all striving to place a proper value on their locality’s limited resources, and sometimes to make or save money in the process.”

The rankings (see locations and criteria below) are part of the magazine’s annual “Green Guide,” which includes an exclusive interview with Alcoa’s Chief Sustainability Officer Kevin Anton and a feature article on the potential comeback of bicycle manufacturing to the U.S., perhaps even in one of the nation’s most bicycle-friendly communities.

In addition to the Green Guide, the July issue of Site Selection contains major stories on universities & economic development, research & science parks, data centers and advanced manufacturing, as well as state spotlights featuring an exclusive profile of Panasonic’s headquarters site selection in New Jersey, and interviews with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber. The issue also features a special tribute to Site Selection and Conway Data founder H. McKinley Conway, who passed away in late May at the age of 90.

Site Selection magazine, published by Conway Data Inc., delivers expansion planning information to 44,000 executives of fast-growing firms. Now in its 58th year, Site Selection is also available via Site Selection Online (www.siteselection.com). The SiteNet Dispatch, a weekly e-newsletter, and the monthly Site Selection Energy Report and Site Selection Life Sciences Report e-newsletters, also go to more than 44,000 industry professionals. Site Selection is the official publication of the Industrial Asset Management Council (www.iamc.org). Conway Data is an international publishing and association management company headquartered in Atlanta. The firm manages the Industrial Asset Management Council, the Development Hall of Fame and the World Development Federation (WDF), offers consulting services and awards the annual Conway Safe Skies Award.

Top Sustainable States*

1. California
2. Washington
3. Oregon
4. Minnesota
5. Colorado
6. New York
7. Vermont
8. Texas
9. Massachusetts
10. New Mexico

*State Rankings Criteria: Green Industry projects as tracked by the Conway Data New Plant Database from Jan. 2009-March 2011 (including renewable energy manufacturing and supply chain facilities, biofuels and biomass, recycling plants, electric vehicle supply chain, etc.); Number of LEED Certified projects as of May 2011 (USGBC project database); LEED Certified projects per capita; Level of incentives support for green projects, according to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE), May 2011; Per capita renewable energy generation by state, 2008 (EIA); EPA Brownfield Redevelopment Funding 2010 (EPA); Per capita EPA Brownfield Redevelopment Funding 2010; Energy Efficiency Scorecard rankings in 2010 (American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy); Alternative-fuel vehicles in use per capita 2009 (EIA, April 2011); 2011 Clean Energy Leadership Index rankings (Clean Edge, Inc., May 2011).

Top Sustainable U.S. Metro Areas*

1. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Calif.
2. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, Ore.-Wash.
3. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif.
4. Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill.-Ind.-Wis.
5. New York-Newark-Edison, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa.
6. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif.
T7. Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, Ariz.
T7. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Texas
9. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.
T10. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wash.
T10. Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land, Texas

Honorable Mention (in rank order)

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
Denver-Aurora, Colo.
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, Calif.
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, Mass.-N.H.
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Ga.
*U.S. Metros Criteria: Green Industry projects as tracked by the Conway Data New Plant Database from Jan. 2009- March 2011 (including renewable energy manufacturing and supply chain facilities, biofuels and biomass, recycling plants, electric vehicle supply chain, etc.); Number of LEED Certified projects as of May 2011; LEED Certified projects per capita; Level of incentives support for green projects (minimum of two programs), according to DSIRE database, May 2011.

Top Sustainable Foreign Countries*

1. Canada
2. Spain
3. United Kingdom
4. Germany
5. Sweden
6. Denmark
7. Norway
8. Brazil
9. Ireland
10. France
10. Japan
*Foreign Country Criteria: Green Industry projects as tracked by the Conway Data New Plant Database from Jan. 2009- March 2011 (including renewable energy manufacturing and supply chain facilities, biofuels and biomass, recycling plants, electric vehicle supply chain, etc.); Number of LEED Certified projects as of May 2011; LEED Certified projects per capita; Carbon intensity of country economy (Energy Information Administration); Renewable energy generation per capita (EIA).