India at 3rd place in USGBC's list of top 10 nations for LEED

NEW DELHI: India remained at the third position in the USGBC's annual ranking of the top 10 countries for LEED, which is a green building rating system.

The list highlights countries outside of the US that are making significant strides in sustainable building design, construction and operations, US Green Building Council (USGBC) said in a statement.

This year, India remained in third position with 15.90 million gross square meters (GSM) of LEED-certified space and an additional 89.28 million cumulative GSM of LEED-certified and-registered space, totalling 2,386 projects participating in LEED across the country.

China ranked first with 34.62 million GSM, followed by Canada with 34.39 million GSM.

"As we grow the sustainability movement from buildings to communities to cities, it is leaders in the international community like India that are driving market transformation across the globe," said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and chief executive officer of USGBC.

Conducted in 70 countries, the report found that emerging economies will continue to be engines of green growth, with development varying from two fold to six fold over current green building levels.

Increased consumer demand has also pushed the world's green building market to a trillion-dollar industry, a surge that has led to a corresponding increase in the scope and size of the green building materials market, which is expected to reach $234 billion by 2019.

LEED-certified spaces use less energy and water resources, save money for families, businesses and taxpayers, reduce carbon emissions and create a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

The analysis used to develop the list ranks countries in terms of cumulative commercial LEED-certified GSM space as of December 2016.