USGBC has announced the Top 10 Countries and Regions for LEED in 2021. The top 10 list highlights countries and regions outside the United States that are making significant strides in sustainable building design, construction, and operations.
China topped the list this year, with 1,077 LEED projects certified in 2021, encompassing more than 152 million square feet (14 million gross square meters) of certified LEED space.
Canada, India, the Republic of Korea, and Spain rounded out the top five countries on the list, which represents nearly 2,000 projects that were certified in 2021 and represents 310 million square feet of LEED space. These certifications are an indication of the ever-growing international demand for LEED as a framework to help buildings and spaces meet high sustainable standards.
The analysis used to develop the list ranks countries in terms of total number of LEED projects between January 1 and December 31, 2021. The U.S. is not included in the ranking, but remains the world’s largest market for LEED, with more than 280 million square feet certified to LEED in 2021.
The full ranking for 2021 are:
| Top 10 Countries and Regions for LEED in 2021 | ||||
| Rank | Country | Project Count | Square Feet | Square Meters |
| 1 | Mainland China | 1,077 | 152,325,125.75 | 14,151,480.95 |
| 2 | Canada | 205 | 34,530,920.95 | 3,208,030.63 |
| 3 | India | 146 | 30,337,364.12 | 2,818,436.08 |
| 4 | Republic of Korea | 42 | 16,768,269.12 | 1,557,824.68 |
| 5 | Spain | 100 | 16,107,100.54 | 1,496,400.05 |
| 6 | United Arab Emirates | 73 | 13,733,832.33 | 1,275,916.01 |
| 7 | Brazil | 89 | 13,366,776.03 | 1,241,815.33 |
| 8 | Italy | 106 | 12,543,738.44 | 1,165,352.56 |
| 9 | Mexico | 47 | 10,285,729.57 | 955,576.47 |
| 10 | Taiwan, China | 31 | 9,619,570.52 | 893,688.21 |
The top 10 countries and regions ranking demonstrates that green buildings are part of a truly global movement and that the demand for green building is on the rise. During COP26 in late 2021, countries came together and agreed on a number of items to address climate change and resilience. Addressing the climate crisis will require the international community to work together, and that includes how we think about the way we build and operate the spaces where we live, work, learn, and play.
Green buildings are a foundational part of supporting economic, environmental, and human health. LEED certification is available for virtually all building types and delivers a holistic framework that takes into account the entire life-cycle of a building. LEED certification tells people using a building that the space is lowering its impact on the environment, as well as helping them use less energy and water, avoid waste, and obtain improved indoor air quality and comfort.
Source: USGBC
