India has emerged as one of the leading countries to adopt green and sustainable buildings and developments as the country ranked third in the world on the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) annual list of the top 10 countries and regions outside of the US for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in 2021.
- The USGBC 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’s continued presence among the top three countries for LEED outside of the U.S. in 2021 is a evidence to its focus on sustainable development and achieving its Paris agreement targets. India’s continued momentum in adopting LEED across sectors will play a large role in ensuring the overall wellbeing of its citizens and communities in the coming years. The pandemic has highlighted the fact that green buildings are not the solution of tomorrow, they are a solution for now,” said Peter Templeton, President and CEO, USGBC and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)
Despite the ongoing pandemic, India has witnessed a nearly 10% increase in its LEED GSM when compared to 2020, thereby highlighting its focus on pursuing sustainable growth and development. The Government of India has been proactive in prioritizing the health of its citizens by urging organizations to open with necessary safety protocols in place,” said Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan, Managing Director – Southeast Asia & Middle East, GBCI.
India ranks third on the list behind China that topped the list with more than 14 million GSM, and Canada which certified more than 3.2 million GSM. 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 initiatives which government and bodies related to sustainability are taking continuously in India implies that India will be the No.1 country for the platform of green buildings solutions in the near future.
