by Shane Henson — June 18, 2014—The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED program is gaining more popularity outside of the United States, particularly in Canada, China, and India, according to reports released this month by the organization. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices.
Canada
The USGBC says that Canada now stands as the largest international market for LEED green buildings and boasts more square meters of LEED-certified space than any other nation outside the United States. The organization’s report on Canada, LEED in Motion: Canada, offers full accounting of all LEED activity in the country, outlining the locations of its 1,633 Canadian LEED-certified projects, which total 22.3 million gross square meters of real estate.
Featuring forewords from Thomas Mueller, president and CEO of Canada Green Building Council, and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, the report highlights how LEED works in Canada, explaining the mechanisms driving its adoption, including its global recognition, emphasis on building site location, focus on reduction of energy use in the building sector, and numerous health and productivity benefits for building occupants.
To illustrate the movement toward a sustainable building sector in Canada, the report features project profiles and testimonials from green building project leaders who speak to the merits of green design and construction using the LEED system.
China
Per the USGBC’s LEED in Motion: China report, China is now the second largest market in the world for LEED green building activity. Approximately 29 of China’s 34 provinces are home to LEED-certified projects. Greater China is home to 1,961 LEED-registered and certified projects, totaling 111 million gross square meters of construction space. Mainland China boasts projects that have pursued both LEED certification along with the China Green Building Label or Three Star Rating, the USGBC adds.
At the beginning of a multi-city, multi-country visit to Asia by senior USGBC leadership, USGBC announced it would waive all LEED certification fees for the first three projects in mainland China that earn LEED v4 Platinum certification, the highest tier of achievement under the LEED green building rating system. Part of USGBC’s LEED Earth campaign, this promotion is applied to one project per province for the first three out of mainland China’s 34 provinces.
To date, mainland China is home to Haworth Showroom, the first project worldwide to certify under LEED v4, earning LEED Gold in 2013.
India
Like Canada and China, India has also taken advantage of LEED in its aim to make buildings more sustainable. India currently ranks third globally for countries outside of the United States with the most LEED-certified space, with nearly 12 million square meters, according to a report released last month. On June 5, USGBC announced the organization is expanding its support of LEED in India. India will now have a seat at the LEED International Roundtable, the USGBC group responsible for driving the international development and applications of LEED.
To strengthen global consistency, the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) will now manage certification of new projects to all LEED rating systems in India, including assuming responsibility for LEED India certification from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). IGBC will continue to provide support to LEED India projects already in the system, but all new projects will come under the auspices of GBCI for certification services. With this move, the entire suite of LEED rating systems will now be available in India, including LEED v4.
Also, to support this increase in the LEED offerings in India, USGBC is establishing a hub in New Delhi to provide in-country support to LEED project teams, including education, technical support and customer service.
