Guess which countries outside the US are using the LEED green building standard the most

by Brianna Crandall — January 29, 2018 — The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the creators of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building program, announced last week the Top 10 Countries and Regions for LEED. The list recognizes markets outside the United States that are using LEED to create healthier, more sustainable spaces that work to improve quality of life. China tops the list, followed by Canada and India.

The list represents 6,657 LEED-certified projects totaling more than 158 million square meters of space globally, and ranks countries and regions in terms of cumulative LEED-certified gross square meters as of December 31, 2017. China remained in the top spot with more than 47 million gross square meters, and for the first time Mexico appears on the Top 10 list with more than 5.6 million gross square meters.

Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the global certifying body for LEED projects and several other green building programs:

LEED is a full-scale global movement and plays a key role in helping cities, communities and countries manage their built environment. When we prioritize green buildings we are committing to creating spaces that perform at the highest levels, conserving resources and enhancing human health. The work being done in each of these markets is raising the bar for the global market.

*Gross square meters are reported in millions. Data is reported as of December 31, 2017.

**The United States, where LEED originated, is not included on the list, but remains the world’s largest market for LEED.

LEED is a widely used green building program with projects in more than 167 countries and territories and more than 205,800 gross square meters of space certifying every day. LEED is a global, regional and local solution that provides a framework for buildings, communities and cities to create healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving spaces while working to improve quality of life.

The Top 10 Countries and Regions for LEED are part of a growing number of markets dedicated to a greener, more sustainable built environment. According to a Dodge Data & Analytics World Green Building Trends 2016 SmartMarket Report, to which USGBC was a contributing partner, countries indicated that economic forces were the most important drivers for green building. The SmartMarket Report also revealed that increasing consumer demand has pushed the world’s green building market to a trillion-dollar industry that has led to a corresponding increase in the scope and size of the green building materials market, which is expected to reach $234 billion by 2019.

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