International. The USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council), creators of the LEED rating system for sustainable construction, announced the top 10 countries and regions for LEED. The list recognizes markets outside the U.S. that use LEED to create healthier, more sustainable spaces that work to improve quality of life. China tops the list, for markets outside the U.S., 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 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 in the list of the top 10 with more than 5.6 million gross square meters.
"LEED is a large-scale global movement and plays a key role in helping cities, communities and countries manage their built environment," said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of USGBC and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the global certifying body for LEED projects. "When we prioritize green buildings, we are committed to creating spaces that perform at the highest level, conserving resources and improving human health. The work being done in each of these markets is raising the bar for the global market."
Top 10 List
|
Ranking |
Country/Region |
Number of projects |
Gross square meters* |
|
1 |
China |
1,211 |
47.16 |
|
2 |
Canada |
2,970 |
40.77 |
|
3 |
India |
752 |
20.28 |
|
4 |
Brazil |
461 |
14.83 |
|
5 |
Germany |
276 |
7.0 |
|
6 |
Republic of Korea |
106 |
6.66 |
|
7 |
Taiwan |
124 |
6.15 |
|
8 |
Turkey |
245 |
6.06 |
|
9 |
Mexico |
305 |
5.16 |
|
10 |
United Arab Emirates |
207 |
4.41 |
|
** |
United States |
30,669 |
385.65 |
* Gross square meters are reported in millions. Data are reported as of December 31, 2017.
** The United States, where LEED originated, is not included in the list, but remains the world's largest market for LEED.
