Mainland China Leads Top 10 Countries, Regions For LEED

Green building space in China is expected to reach two billion square meters by 2020, up from current estimates of 600 million square meters spread across more than 300 cities.

For the second year in a row, Mainland China tops the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) annual Top 10 Countries and Regions for LEED list. The list recognizes markets outside the U.S. that are using LEED to create healthier, more sustainable spaces where citizens live, learn, work, and play. China earned the top spot due its more than 1,211 LEED-certified projects totaling more than 47.16 million gross square meters of space.

China LEED
(Click image to enlarge.) *Gross square meters are reported in millions. Data is reported as of December 2017.
**The United States, where LEED originated, is not included on the list, but remains the world’s largest market for LEED.

“Around the world leaders are committing to climate change initiatives that have the power to improve quality of life for citizens and ensure a sustainable future for us all,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the global certifying body for LEED projects. “Progress happens one project at a time and we applaud these countries for their leadership and work to deliver better buildings and healthier spaces.”

The list ranks countries and regions in terms of cumulative LEED-certified gross square meters as of December 31, 2017 and represents 6,657 certified projects totaling more than 158 million gross square meters.

“Mainland China’s leadership in driving the adoption of green building practices will help shape a healthier and more sustainable future for the country,” said Andy To, managing director, GBCI North Asia. “The ability to use tools like LEED to transform our built environment will extend beyond environmental benefits and has the power to positively impact human health.”

China LEEDGBCI China was incorporated in 2018 to help drive the adoption of LEED and green business practices across the region, improve access to educational resources, and bring further technical expertise to the area. In addition, the Greenbuild conference will take place in mainland China for the second time in 2018.

Mainland China is part of a growing number of nations and regions dedicated to a greener, more sustainable built environment. According to a newly published report from CBRE and USGBC, as Chinese builders move in accordance with the nation’s 13th Five Year Plan, green building space is expected to reach two billion square meters by 2020, up from current estimates of 600 million square meters of green building space spread across more than 300 cities.