flexiblefullpage

HORIZONTV FEATURING BD+C: WATCH EPISODES ON DEMAND AT HORIZONTV

Menu View Full Menu
Subscribe Here
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Top 10 countries for LEED buildings outside the U.S.

Top 10 countries for LEED buildings outside the U.S.

Canada tops the list, with 17.74 million GSM of LEED space. 

By USGBC | May 2, 2014
Continue Reading
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released its ranking of the top 10 countries for LEED outside of the United States, demonstrating the global reach of the movement that is transforming the built environment into high-performing structures that benefit the planet and all of its people.
 
“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. “LEED’s success across a wide variety of cultures, climates and communities represents not only a growing recognition of its demonstrated benefits for human health and operational cost savings, but also its unparalleled potential to be part of the solution to a warming planet and rising sea levels.”
 
The list of the top 10 countries for LEED reflects the global adaptability of the world’s most widely used and recognized system guiding the design, construction, operations and maintenance of green buildings. To date, project teams in more than 140 countries and territories have implemented LEED in their building projects, taking advantage of its global, regional and local applicability to create structures that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions; create healthier indoor environments for workers, students and community members; and lower utility bills for building owners through reduced energy and water use.
 
The ranking of the top 10 countries for LEED outside of the U.S. is based on cumulative gross square meters (GSM) of space certified to LEED in each nation as of April 2014.
 
Canada tops the list, with 17.74 million GSM of LEED space. Collectively, Canada 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 on the list, respectively boasting 14.30 million and 11.64 million GSM of LEED-certified space.
 
Other Asian nations in the top 10 include South Korea, at No. 4 with 3.84 million GSM of LEED-certified space; Taiwan, at No. 5 with 2.98 million GSM; and Singapore, at No. 8 with 2.16 million GSM.
 
In Europe, Germany and Finland secured spots 6 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, while the United Arab Emirates represented green building success in the Middle East, at No. 9 with 1.82 million GSM of LEED-certified space.
 
The full ranking is as follows:
 
1. Canada
2. China
3. India
4. South Korea
5. Taiwan
6. Germany
7. Brazil
8. Singapore
9. United Arab Emirates
10. Finland
 
You can find a more detailed chart here.
 
Notable certified projects in these nations include:
  • Canada: 100 Wellington Street West Tower at the Dominion Centre in Toronto, LEED Platinum, the first project in the city to achieve Platinum certification under LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance
  • China: Haworth Showroom in the Parkview Green in Beijing, LEED Gold, the first project to certify under LEED v4, the latest version of LEED
  • India: ITC Maurya Hotel in New Delhi, built in 1977, Platinum under LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance
  • South Korea: Samsung GREEN TOMORROW, the first LEED Platinum project in East Asia
  • Taiwan: Taipei 101, one of the tallest buildings in the world, LEED Platinum under LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance
  • Germany: MesseTurm in Frankfurt, an iconic 63-story skyscraper and one of the tallest in Europe, LEED Silver
  • Brazil: Castelao Arena in Fortaleza, the first 2014 World Cup stadium to earn LEED certification
  • Singapore: Asia Square Tower 1, a 43-story office building, LEED Platinum
  • United Arab Emirates: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority Headquarters, LEED Platinum
  • Finland: Sello shopping center, the first European shopping mall to receive LEED Gold
Collectively, more than 59,000 commercial and institutional projects are participating in LEED, representing 967 million GSM of construction space worldwide.

Tags

Related Stories

Image by Melissa Mahon from Pixabay
Codes and Standards | Jul 15, 2024

New York City code update changes definition of a major building

Changes affecting how construction projects in New York City are permitted will have significant impacts for contractors. On Dec. 11, the definition of a major building in the city’s code will change from 10 stories to seven, or 75 feet. The change will affect thousands more projects.

Detroit’s Michigan Central Station, centerpiece of innovation hub, opens Photo courtesy Buro Happold
Adaptive Reuse | Jul 12, 2024

Detroit’s Michigan Central Station, centerpiece of innovation hub, opens

The recently opened Michigan Central Station in Detroit is the centerpiece of a 30-acre technology and cultural hub that will include development of urban transportation solutions. The six-year adaptive reuse project of the 640,000 sf historic station, created by the same architect as New York’s Grand Central Station, is the latest sign of a reinvigorating Detroit.

Loyola University Center for Innovation and Collaboration student dining hall
University Buildings | Jul 11, 2024

3 considerations for designing healthy, adaptable student dining

Amanda Vigneau, IIDA, NCDIQ, LEED ID+C, Director, Shepley Bulfinch, shares three ways student dining facilities have evolved to match changes in student life.

New download: BD+C's 2024 Healthcare Annual Report - Trends and Innovations in Hospitals, Outpatient Facilities, and Behavioral Health Centers
Healthcare Facilities | Jul 11, 2024

New download: BD+C's 2024 Healthcare Annual Report

Welcome to Building Design+Construction’s 2024 Healthcare Annual Report. This free 66-page special report is our first-ever “state of the state” update on the $65 billion healthcare construction sector.

Historic Fresno train depot to be renovated for California high speed rail station project. Courtesy California High-Speed Rail Authority
Transit Facilities | Jul 10, 2024

Historic Fresno train depot to be renovated for California high speed rail station project

A long-shuttered rail station in Fresno, Calif., will be renovated to serve as the city’s high speed rail (HSR) station as part of the California High-Speed Rail Authority system, the nation’s first high speed rail project. California’s HSR system will eventually link more than 800 miles of rail, served by up to 24 stations.

Image by Kevin Schwarz from Pixabay
Government Buildings | Jul 8, 2024

GSA adopts new accessibility guidelines for federal properties

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) adopted a new rule with new accessibility guidelines for federal buildings. The rule establishes that pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way are readily accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. 

Image by Sergey from Pixabay
Office Buildings | Jul 8, 2024

Office vacancy peak of 22% to 28% forecasted for 2026

The work from home trend will continue to put pressure on the office real estate market, with peak vacancy of between 22% and 28% in 2026, according to a forecast by Moody’s.

Two businessmen testing virtual reality headset
Virtual Reality | Jul 8, 2024

Can a VR-enabled AEC firm transform your project?

With the aid of virtual reality and three-dimensional visualization technologies, designers, consultants, and their clients can envision a place as though the project were in a later stage.

Global green building alliance releases guide for $35 trillion investment to achieve net zero, meet global energy transition goals
Green | Jul 8, 2024

Global green building alliance releases guide for $35 trillion investment to achieve net zero, meet global energy transition goals

The international alliance of UK-based Building Research Establishment (BRE), the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the Alliance HQE-GBC France developed the guide, Financing Transformation: A Guide to Green Building for Green Bonds and Green Loans, to strengthen global cooperation between the finance and real estate sectors.

Image by Noel from Pixabay
Codes and Standards | Jul 8, 2024

New York State building code update would ban fossil fuels in new buildings

New York’s Building Code Council is set to include the All-Electric Buildings Act in its 2025 code update. The Act would ban natural gas and other fossil fuels in new buildings. 

boombox1
boombox2

Top Articles

native1

More In Category

Urban Planning

Bridging the gap: How early architect involvement can revolutionize a city’s capital improvement plans

Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) typically span three to five years and outline future city projects and their costs. While they set the stage, the design and construction of these projects often extend beyond the CIP window, leading to a disconnect between the initial budget and evolving project scope. This can result in financial shortfalls, forcing cities to cut back on critical project features.

Libraries

Reasons to reinvent the Midcentury academic library

DLR Group's Interior Design Leader Gretchen Holy, Assoc. IIDA, shares the idea that a designer's responsibility to embrace a library’s history, respect its past, and create an environment that will serve student populations for the next 100 years.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021