The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has declared its list of the top countries for its pioneering LEED program, the world’s most lauded and widely used green building rating system. The list features the countries making the biggest impact in sustainable building design and construction.
The countries featured on the list are diverse, both geographically and culturally.
What is LEED?
LEED-certified buildings are more sustainable than traditional buildings, as they:
- Use less energy and water resources
- Are innovative in their green design structure
- Save money for families, businesses and taxpayers
- Reduce carbon emissions
- Create a healthier environment for residents, workers, and communities
The United States, the creator of the LEED rating system, is notably not featured in the list. The U.S. is has the largest economy in the world by GDP, and is also the world’s second largest carbon emitter, after China.
Canada ranked first on this year’s LEED ranking, with China, India, and Brazil coming in second through fourth on the list.
Germany and Sweden represent Europe; Germany ranked sixth, while Sweden, making the list for the first time, placed 10th. Both nations are regularly mentioned as green innovators for their improvements on existing technologies as well as their stellar leadership in bringing their efforts to the world stage in order to help facilitate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions on an international scale.
Two Middle Eastern countries also made the list. The United Arab Emirates and Turkey have both been praised for their green building initiatives. The UAE enlarged its total tally of LEED-certified buildings by over 70% over less than a year. Notably, Turkey has made the list for the first time in its history by coming in at 9th place.
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