India secures third global position in LEED Green Building Certification rankings in 2023

India has achieved certification for 248 projects under LEED, encompassing a total gross area of 72.36 million square meters. This notable position in LEED Zero projects underscores India’s dedication to sustainability and the incorporation of inventive green building techniques. Furthermore, it aligns with India’s ambitious goal of attaining net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the year 2070.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification is a globally recognised symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership. The rating system is available for virtually all building types thus providing a framework for healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings.

Since many years, India has consistently ranked among the top three countries, underscoring its commitment to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals outlined for 2030. The ranking highlights India’s focus on climate change, with a particular emphasis on Green Development and the promotion of environmentally conscious practices.  In 2023, India maintained its position as the third-ranking country on the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) annual Top 10 Countries and Regions for LEED. The country achieved LEED certification for 248 projects, encompassing both buildings and spaces, and covering a total of 7.23 million gross square meters (GSM).

Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan, Managing Director – Southeast Asia & Middle East, GBCI, said, “With India’s rapidly growing urban landscape, the investment in green buildings becomes imperative, which extends beyond resource efficiency and reduced environmental impact; it is a fundamental step towards enhancing the well-being of our communities. India’s consistent presence among the top countries for LEED underscores the dedicated pursuit of sustainable living and widespread adoption of green buildings. India has made a commitment to achieving the Net Zero emission target by 2070, demonstrating its active engagement in global climate initiatives.”

The list is compiled based on data and analysis of LEED-certified Gross Square Meters (GSM) space as of in 2023. While the United States is not included in the list, it remains the world’s largest market for LEED with more than 51million GSM certified during the year. China secured the top spot in the 2023 rankings, with over 24 million GSM certified, followed by Canada with 7.9 million GSM. The annual assessment by the USGBC highlights the progress made by countries and regions worldwide in adopting sustainable, resilient, and health-focused approaches to building design, construction, and operations.

Table : Ranking of the top 10 countries

Country	Project count	Gross area (SqFt)	Gross area (Sqm)	Rank
Mainland China	1,563	26,42,87,540.13	24,553,139.67	1
Canada	280	8,54,21,062.41	7,935,884.06	2
India	248	7,78,91,785.74	7,236,390.69	3
Turkey	36	3,13,35,904.56	2,911,203.61	4
Brazil	119	2,80,42,859.15	2,605,269.39	5
Saudi Arabia	57	2,33,41,412.46	2,168,490.27	6
Spain	169	2,15,43,484.55	2,001,457.14	7
Italy	135	2,13,50,455.74	1,983,524.16	8
South Korea	67	2,02,19,534.97	1,878,458.08	9
Mexico	86	1,73,94,234.77	1,615,978.85	10

On a cumulative basis, India’s overall commercial projects under LEED stand at more than 2,200 buildings, representing more than 212 million GSM. India is also a global leader in net zero, leading the world in LEED Zero certifications. In 2023, India had 24 LEED Zero certifications. In India, LEED is administered by the Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), which has been working to accelerate the adoption of green buildings across the country.

LEED is a recognised symbol of excellence around the world and continues to raise the bar in terms of sustainability for buildings, cities, and communities. LEED provides a pathway to certification for green buildings at the beginning of their sustainability journey, as well as those that are more advanced and looking to verify net zero performance. Through LEED, USGBC pushes the market toward high-performing buildings.

As part of its continued effort to set new benchmarks in the space, USGBC introduced a draft of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) v5 framework for Operations and Maintenance (O+M) in 2023. It is the first rating system to be released under the LEED v5 umbrella. LEED v5 forBuilding Design and Construction (BD+C) will be rolled out in 2024.