USGBC Announces Top 10 Countries, Regions for LEED Green Building

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the creators of the LEED green building rating system, announced the annual Top 10 Countries and Regions for LEED, outside of the U.S.

Mainland China topped the list with more than 68 million gross square meters. The list recognizes 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 top countries and regions account for nearly 7,800 certified buildings and more than 210 million gross square meters of space.

“For the last 25 years, LEED has played a key role in sustainability efforts around the world,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the global certifying body for LEED projects. “The Top 10 Countries and Regions represent a global community of dedicated USGBC member companies and green building professionals who are committed to improving our quality of life. A better future requires a universal living standard that leaves no one behind—and that future would simply not be possible without the extraordinary work being done in these countries.”

The list ranks countries and regions in terms of cumulative LEED-certified gross square meters as of Dec. 31, 2018. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, 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 full rankings are as follows:

Ranking	Country/Region	Number of Projects	Gross Square Meters*
1	Mainland China	1,494	68.83
2	Canada	3,254	46.81
3	India	899	24.81
4	Brazil	531	16.74
5	Republic of Korea	143	12.15
6	Turkey	337	10.90
7	Germany	327	8.47
8	Mexico	370	8.41
9	China, Taiwan	144	7.30
10	Spain	299	5.81
**	United States	33,632	441.60

*Gross square meters are reported in millions. Data is reported as of December 2018.
**The United States, where LEED originated, is not included on the list, but remains the world’s largest market for LEED.

LEED is a recognized symbol of excellence around the world and continues to raise the bar in terms of sustainability for buildings, cities and communities. Recently, USGBC introduced LEED v4.1, the latest update to the rating system, and released beta versions for existing buildings (LEED v4.1 O+M), new construction (LEED v4.1 BD+C) and interiors (LEED v4.1 ID+C).