The United States Green Building Council has ranked Illinois fourth out of all U.S. states in leadership on environmentally sound buildings.

The group cites Gov. Pat Quinn's leadership in particular.

Council members said Wednesday that Illinois has a commitment to creating a sustainable environment. Illinois is behind Virginia, Colorado and Massachusetts in its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certifications.

The group ranks states each year.

Illinois certified 156 LEED projects last year, including the Northern Illinois Food Bank in Geneva, Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and the KONE Centre in Moline, which has the highest rating in the state.

State officials say another 50 projects are slated to meet LEED certifications.