Proud moment! India ranks 3rd globally in list of LEED green buildings

 With more than 899 LEED certified projects totalling more than 24.81 million sqmt of space, India ranks third in the list of top 10 countries of the US Green Building Council (USGBC) for LEED.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), is the world's most widely used green building program with 96,275 registered and certified projects in more than 167 countries and territories.

The list ranks countries and regions in terms of cumulative LEED-certified gross square meters as of December 31, 2018 and represents 7,797 certified projects totalling more than 210 million gross square meters of space.

While Mainland China tops the list with 1,494 projects totalling more than 68.83 sqmt of space, Canada ranks second with 3,254 projects of 46.81 sqmt followed by India at 899 projects.

"India is leading the green building movement in the Asia Pacific region, with maximum number of LEED projects in 2018.

Apart from the commercial buildings, LEED projects are also seen in sectors like education, manufacturing, hospitality to name a few," Green Business Certificate Institute (GBCI)AC and Middle East managing director Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan said.

LEED-certified metros and LEED for cities are also adding the momentum to the green building movement in India, he said, adding that residential projects will drive the growth in the next few years and LEED will work closely with the developers and the state governments to ensure a sustainable platform.

"The demand for green is growing in India and we are confident that the number of green projects in India will increase in the coming years and will positively impact the development and green jobs," Padmanabhan added.

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The list recognises markets that are using LEED to create healthier spaces for people, as well as use less energy and water, reduce carbon emissions and save money for families and businesses.

The remaining seven countries featuring in the list are Brazil, Korea, Turkey, Germany, Mexico, Taiwan China and Spain.