Canada ranks second on annual Top 10 Countries and Regions for LEED list
- Rating System/Standard
- LEED
- Theme
- Green Building
LEED certification supports Canada’s sustainability and climate change efforts
OTTAWA, ON – January 22, 2018 – Today, the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) is pleased to announce that Canada has once again ranked second in the annual Top 10 Countries and Regions for LEED list. Curated by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the creators of the LEED green building program, this list recognizes markets outside the U.S. that are using LEED to create healthier, more sustainable spaces where citizens live, learn, work and play. Canada earned the distinction for its current total of 2,970 LEED certified projects totaling more than 40.77 million gross square meters of space.
“Canada’s green building industry has consistently proven that we are among the most innovative in the world, and this result further cements that leadership position,” says Thomas Mueller, President and CEO of the Canada Green Building Council. “LEED has and will continue to be instrumental in bringing green building solutions to scale including energy efficiency and carbon, health and wellness, resiliency and advanced material choices. With LEED we can deliver now to substantially improve performance for buildings across Canada.”
The list ranks countries and regions in terms of cumulative LEED certified gross square meters as of December 31, 2017, and represents 6,657 certified projects totaling more than 158 million gross square meters. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is the world’s most widely used green building program with projects in more than 167 countries and territories, with more than 205,800 gross square meters of space certifying every day. It is a global, regional and local solution that provides a framework for buildings, communities and cities to create healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving spaces while working to improve quality of life.
Ranking | Country/Region | Number of Projects | Gross Square Meters* |
---|---|---|---|
1 | China | 1,211 | 47.16 |
2 | Canada | 2,970 | 40.77 |
3 | India | 752 | 20.28 |
4 | Brazil | 461 | 14.83 |
5 | Germany | 276 | 7.00 |
6 | Republic of Korea | 106 | 6.66 |
7 | Taiwan | 124 | 6.15 |
8 | Turkey | 245 | 6.06 |
9 | Mexico | 305 | 5.16 |
10 | United Arab Emirates | 207 | 4.41 |
** | United States | 30,669 | 385.65 |
**The United States, where LEED originated, is not included on the list, but remains the world’s largest market for LEED.
“Canada remains an important leader in driving the adoption of LEED and green building. With nearly 3,000 LEED certified projects throughout the country, we are seeing the leaders in this market push the boundaries of what it means to be a high-performing building or space,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, President and CEO, USGBC and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the global certifying body for LEED projects. “Progress happens one project at a time and the work being done across Canada is helping to define where the industry is moving and how we stay focused on finding solutions that will continue to improve our quality of life.”
Canada is part of a growing number of nations dedicated to a greener, more sustainable built environment. According to a Dodge Data & Analytics World Green Building Trends 2016 SmartMarket Report, countries indicated that economic forces were the most important drivers for green building. The SmartMarket report also revealed that increasing consumer demand has pushed the world’s green building market to a trillion-dollar industry 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.
About the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC)
CaGBC is the leading national organization dedicated to advancing green building and sustainable community development practices. As the voice of green building in Canada, we work closely with our national and chapter members in an effort to make every building greener. The CaGBC reduces environmental impacts from the built environment through project certification, advocacy and research, and has helped meet the demand for skilled workers by providing green building education to over 30,000 professionals across the country since 2002. CaGBC established the LEED® green building rating system in Canada and developed the country’s first Zero Carbon Building Standard in 2017. It also oversees the Canada Coalition for Green Schools, and is a member of the World Green Building Council supporting international efforts to reduce environmental impacts from the built environment. For more information, visit cagbc.org and connect on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
About the U.S. Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, a nationwide network of chapters and affiliates, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org and connect on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.