India ranks 3rd globally in LEED certified green buildings as per US Green Building Council

India has ranked third in the world for LEED certified green buildings in 2021 in the US Green Building Council (USGBC) annual list.

China and Canada are at the first two positions. The United States is not included in the list but remains the world's largest market for LEED.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Available for virtually all building types, LEED provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings.

The analysis used to develop the list ranks countries in terms of LEED-certified space as of December 31, 2021.

The USGBC on Thursday said "India has ranked third in the world on its annual list of the Top 10 countries and regions for LEED in 2021."

The ranking highlights countries and regions outside the United States that are making significant strides in healthy, sustainable, and resilient building design, construction, and operations.

"India certified a total of 146 buildings and spaces to LEED, representing nearly 2.8 million gross area square metres (GSM) of space. This marks a nearly 10 per cent increase in LEED certified space in India from 2020," it added.

India ranks third on the list behind China, which topped the list with more than 14 million GSM, and Canada which certified more than 3.2 million GSM.

The United States is not included in the list but remains the world's largest market for LEED with more than 26 million GSM certified during the year.

"India has consistently placed within the top three countries, representing the ever-growing domestic demand for LEED certification in the country as a means to reduce emissions, decrease environmental impact, and support health and well-being," the statement said.

In India, LEED is administered by Green Business Certification Inc (GBCI), which has been working relentlessly towards accelerating the adoption of green buildings across the country.

Among the many projects in India that adopted LEED in 2021, the USGBC listed CESC House in Kolkata, the First Heritage Building in India that received a LEED Gold rating, was recertified to LEED Platinum in 2021.

Ankit Gems Diamond Factory was awarded with a LEED Platinum certification for its diamond manufacturing facility in Surat.

DLF achieved LEED Platinum for both its Cyber City project as well as for their retail projects Avenue Mall and The Chanakya under the LEED O+M rating system.

ITC Hotels was the first hotel in the world to achieve LEED Zero Carbon Certifications for their two properties in South  ITC Windsor at Bengaluru and ITC Grand Chola, Chennai.

"For nearly three decades, LEED has played a key role in sustainability efforts around the world, said Peter Templeton, President and CEO, USGBC and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI).

"India's continued presence among the top three countries for LEED outside of the US in 2021 is a testament to its focus on sustainable development and achieving its Paris agreement targets," he said.