(Crystal Proenza is associate editor of Real Estate Florida.)

Florida has some catching up to do in the movement toward greening its largest office buildings, yet the effort is being stepped up in its biggest and best-recognized global business market—Downtown Miami.

Developers are cognizant of, and often cite, the following numbers from the US Green Building Council: 72% of electricity consumption, 39% of energy use and 38% of all carbon dioxide emissions come from buildings. So even though not one Downtown Miami building has been awarded an official Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, four major office projects under construction in the heart of the city have announced plans to build to USGBC standards.

Leading the pack is Rilea Group's 1450 Brickell, a 586,000-square-foot mixed-use project that has recently earned a Gold pre-certification from the USGBC. Alan Ojeda, CEO of Rilea Group, says the building, which features an extensive energy management system and high-impact resistant glass, is on track to become Miami's first Gold-certified class A office tower.