U.S. Green Building Council Releases Ranking of Top 10 Countries for LEED Outside the U.S.
The U.S. Green Building Council (
USGBC) released its ranking of the top 10
countries for LEED outside of the U.S.,
demonstrating the global reach of the
movement that is transforming the built
environment into healthy, high-perform-ing structures that benefit the planet and
all of its people.
“The global community is increasingly
recognizing the imperative for action as
we combat the extraordinary challenge of
worldwide climate change,” said Rick Fe-
drizzi, president, CEO and founding chair,
USGBC. “LEED’s success across a wide
variety of cultures, climates and com-
munities represents not only a growing
recognition of its demonstrated benefits
for human health and operational cost
savings, but also its unparalleled poten-
tial to be part of the solution to a warming
planet and rising sea levels.”
The list of the top 10 countries for
LEED reflects the global adaptability of
the world’s most widely used and recog-
nized system guiding the design, con-
struction, operations and maintenance of
green buildings. To date, projects teams
in more than 140 countries and territories
have implemented LEED in their building
projects, taking advantage of its global,
regional and local applicability to create
structures that mitigate greenhouse gas
emissions; create healthier indoor envi-
ronments for workers, students and com-
munity members; and lower utility bills for
building owners through reduced energy
and water use.
The ranking of the top 10 countries
for LEED outside of the U.S. is based on
cumulative gross square meters (GSM) of
space certified to LEED in each nation as
of April 2014.
Canada tops the list, with 17.74 million GSM of LEED space. Collectively,
Canada boasts 4,068 total LEED-reg-istered and -certified projects, representing 58.66 million total GSM of
LEED space.
China and India, two of the world’s fastest growing economies and rapid adopters of sustainable building practices, took
second and third place on the list, respectively boasting 14. 30 million and 11.64 million GSM of LEED-certified space.
Other Asian nations in the top 10
include South Korea, at No. 4 with 3.84
million GSM of LEED-certified space;
Taiwan, at No. 5 with 2.98 million GSM;
and Singapore, at No. 8 with 2.16 million GSM.
In Europe, Germany and Finland secured spots 6 and 10, respectively — Germany with 2.90 million GSM of LEED-certified space and Finland with 1.45 million.
In South America, Brazil stood at No.
7 on the list, with 2.85 million GSM, while
the United Arab Emirates represented
green building success in the Middle
East, at No. 9 with 1.82 million GSM of
LEED-certified space.
Notable certified projects in these na-
tions include:
• Canada: 100 Wellington Street West
Tower at the Dominion Centre in To-
ronto, LEED Platinum, the first proj-
ect in the city to achieve Platinum
certification under LEED for Existing
Buildings: Operations & Mainte-
nance
•China: Haworth Showroom in the
Parkview Green in Beijing, LEED
Gold, the first project to certify un-
der LEED v4, the latest version of
LEED
•India: ITC Maurya Hotel in New
Delhi, built in 1977, Platinum under
LEED for Existing Buildings: Opera-
tions & Maintenance
• South Korea: Samsung GREEN TO-
MORROW, the first LEED Platinum
project in East Asia
• Taiwan: Taipei 101, one of the tallest
buildings in the world, LEED Plati-
num under LEED for Existing Build-
ings: Operations & Maintenance
• Germany: Messe Turm in Frankfurt, an
iconic 63-story skyscraper and one of
the tallest in Europe, LEED Silver
• Brazil: Castelao Arena in Fortaleza,
the first 2014 World Cup stadium to
earn LEED certification
•Singapore: Asia Square Tower 1,
a 43-story office building, LEED
Platinum
• United Arab Emirates: Dubai Elec-
tricity and Water Authority Head-
quarters, LEED Platinum
• Finland: Sello shopping center, the
first European shopping mall to re-
ceive LEED Gold
Collectively, more than 59,000 commer-
cial and institutional projects are participat-
ing in LEED, representing 967 million GSM
of construction space worldwide.
In June 2013, USGBC launched the
LEED Earth campaign, offering free certification to the first projects to certify in the
more than 100 countries where LEED has
yet to take root. Since then, 15 projects in
various nations have earned free certification, including Venezuela and Kuwait. To
learn more, visit USGBC.org/LEEDEarth.
