New Delhi, July 23, 2015: Today, the U.S.Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that India ranks third on USGBC’s second annual ranking of the Top 10 Countries for LEED, the world’s most widely used and recognized green building rating system. The Top 10 list highlights countries outside of the U.S. that are making significant strides in sustainable building design, construction and transformation, illustrating the ever-growing international demand for LEED green buildings. The announcement comes at a time of increased international focus on climate change mitigation in the lead up to the United Nation’s COP21 climate negotiations this December.
India’s dominant position in the green building movement is significant due to the country’s aggressive plans to expand access to electricity, it explosive economic growth projections and its unprecedented and rapid urbanization. USGBC’s announcement also comes at a time of increased environmental awareness in India as conversations across the subcontinent focus on alleviating the highly toxic levels of air and water pollution that are pervasive in some of India’s largest population centers. LEED is poised to feature prominently as a strong eco-friendly solution for Indian business leaders and policymakers, and can be a powerful tool in efforts such as the 100 Smart Cities initiative due to the rating system’s emphasis on social equity and inclusivity, environmental health, innovative design and transportation efficiency—all areas which the government has deemed to be essential to ensuring that India’s new Smart Cities are successful.
“Given India’s regional and global significance, it is very encouraging to see the country successfully positioning itself as an international leader in the green building and sustainability movements at the same time that its prominence as a global leader in technology and the information economy is growing,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “The international community cannot solve major challenges such as climate change and water scarcity without India’s full and enthusiastic participation.”
The 10 countries that made the list for 2015 are geographically and culturally diverse, representing seven of the world’s 20 largest single-nation economies by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (China, Germany, Brazil, India, Canada, South Korea and Turkey), as well as six of the top 11 emitters of greenhouse gases (China, India, Germany, South Korea, Canada and Brazil).
The analysis used to develop the list ranks countries in terms of gross square meters and numbers of LEED projects to date. LEED-certified spaces use less energy and water resources, save money for families, businesses and taxpayers, reduce carbon emissions and create a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. The United States, the birthplace of LEED, is not included in this list but remains the world’s largest market for LEED. The U.S. is the world’s largest economy by GDP as well as the world’s second largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
Every day, nearly 172,000 GSM of space is certified using LEED, and there are currently more than 69,800 commercial and institutional projects representing 1.23 billion GSM of space participating in the green building rating system. An additional 76,500 residential units have been certified under LEED for Homes. LEED projects can now be found in more than 150 countries and territories across the world.
LEED’s international popularity is reflective of the exponential growth occurring within the global green building industry. Increasing consumer demand has pushed the world’s green building market to $260 billion in 2013, and this industry surge has led to a corresponding increase in the scope and size of the green building materials market, which is expected to reach $234 billion by 2019. Internationally renowned landmarks as diverse as the Empire State Building, the Maracanã Stadium and Taipei 101 are now LEED-certified spaces that illustrate the impact that sustainable construction and design are having on our shared culture.
At a time when the international community is looking to the UN’s negotiations in Paris as a historically significant chance to come up with real, binding solutions to climate change, the global popularity of LEED is a sign that a ‘green economic miracle’ is well within reach. LEED’s success demonstrates that there are proven, internationally credible solutions to some of the complex questions surrounding climate change mitigation that can help stimulate economic growth while also avoiding harmful economic disruptions. With buildings accounting for up to 30 percent of global emissions, a commitment to the rapid transformation of the global built environment seems to be one solution that the entire world can get behind.
A sample of notable projects that certified in India in 2014 include:
• Chennai: Ascendas IT Park, LEED Platinum
• Bangalore: Thomson Reuters Bangalore Campus, LEED Gold
• Gurgaon: Ericsson Tower, LEED Gold
• Mumbai: Nirlon Knowledge Park, Building 6, LEED Gold
• Chandigarh: DLF IT Park, Chandigarh, LEED Gold
Support for LEED is widespread across the Indian business community, with 32 USGBC member organizations, including major companies such as ITC and Infosys, spread out across the subcontinent. There are more than 600 LEED credentialed professionals operating in India in the architecture, construction and design industries, and 87 percent of India’s green building professionals believe that their LEED portfolios will expand dramatically in the next five years. Nearly 88 percent of all LEED-certified projects in India have achieved LEED Gold or higher, nearly double the global average for such high achieving LEED projects (46 percent).