Washington: India has been ranked third on the list of top 10 countries in leadership in energy and environmental design outside America, according to the latest US Green Building Council report.
Canada followed by China occupy the top two slots in the ranking of the top 10 countries for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) outside the US.
The report said the list demonstrates the global reach of the movement that is transforming the building environment into healthy, high-performing structures that benefit the planet and its people.
From India ITC Maurya Hotel in New Delhi, built in 1977, Platinum under LEED, was notably mentioned in the report.
“The global community is increasingly recognising the imperative for action as we combat the extraordinary challenge of worldwide climate change,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of USGBC.
“LEED's success across a wide variety of cultures, climates and communities represents not only a growing recognition of its demonstrated benefits for human health and operational cost savings, but also its unparalleled potential to be part of the solution to a warming planet and rising sea levels,” he said.
The ranking of the top 10 countries for LEED outside the US is based on cumulative gross square meters (GSM) of space certified to LEED in each nation as of April 2014, a statement said.
Canada tops the list, with 17.74 million GSM of LEED space.
Collectively, Canada boasts of 4,068 total LEED-registered and certified projects, representing 58.66 million total GSM of LEED space.
China and India, two of the world's fastest growing economies and rapid adopters of sustainable building practices, took second and third place on the list having 14.30 million and 11.64 million GSM of LEED-certified space respectively, the statement said.
Other Asian nations in the top 10 included South Korea at number four with 3.84 million GSM of LEED-certified space and Singapore at number with 2.16 million GSM.
In Europe, Germany and Finland secured the sixth and tenth spot respectively — Germany with 2.90 million GSM of LEED-certified space and Finland with 1.45 million.
In South America, Brazil stood at number 7 on the list, with 2.85 million GSM while the United Arab Emirates represented green building success in the Middle East at number 9 with 1.82 million GSM of LEED-certified space.
The list of the top 10 countries for LEED reflects the global adaptability of the world's most widely used and recognised system guiding the design, construction, operations and maintenance of green buildings, the statement said.
