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Report Ranks Green Building Nations
Canada, China and India have nailed the top three spots in a new ranking of the top 10 countries outside the U.S. that are embracing the LEED movement.
The U.S. Green Building Council says the list demonstrates the global reach of its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
Project teams in more than 140 countries and territories have implemented the green-building rating system in their projects, according to USGBC.
The ranking is based on cumulative gross square meters of space certified to LEED standards in each nation as of April 2014, USGBC says.
By the Numbers
Canada tops the list, with 17.74 million gross square meters of LEED space. Collectively, the country boasts 4,068 total LEED-registered 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, respectively, with 14.30 million and 11.64 million GSM of LEED-certified space.
Other Asian nations in the top 10 include South Korea (No. 4, with 3.84 million GSM of LEED-certified space); Taiwan (No. 5 with 2.98 million GSM); and Singapore (No. 8 with 2.16 million GSM).
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| Bisagni Environmental Enterprise (BEE) Inc. blog |
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The world's first LEED v4 Commercial Interiors-certified project is the Haworth Beijing Showroom in China. The country ranks second among non-U.S. countries in terms of LEED-certified space, according to USGBC. |
In Europe, Germany and Finland secured spots six 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. The United Arab Emirates represented the Middle East, ranking ninth with 1.82 million GSM of LEED-certified space.
Global Push
“The global community is increasingly recognizing the imperative for action as we combat the extraordinary challenge of worldwide climate change,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC.
Collectively, more than 59,000 commercial and institutional projects are participating in the program, representing 967 million GSM of construction space worldwide.
Under the voluntary green building rating system, building projects satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of certification. Prerequisites and credits differ for each rating system, and teams choose the best fit for their project.
There are four levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
Projects Recognized
The USGBC noted the following recently certified projects:
