The US Green Building Council (USGBC) and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) released the 2025 ranking of the top ten countries and territories outside the United States by total floor area of internationally certified green buildings on February 5. Vietnam made its debut on the list, ranking eighth globally.
According to the announcement, more than 7,500 commercial projects worldwide achieved LEED certification in 2025, representing over 147 million square meters of gross floor area. China retained its position as the leading market outside the United States with more than 26.6 million square meters, followed by India and Canada. Vietnam ranked eighth with 2.6 million square meters of LEED-certified floor space across 100 projects, surpassing Sweden and placing ahead of the United Arab Emirates.
Beyond the ranking itself, the results underscore a broader shift in real estate development and production and logistics infrastructure toward greener practices, standardization, and deeper integration into global supply chains. Growth momentum has been particularly strong in industrial manufacturing and logistics projects closely linked to export supply chains, where environmental requirements, traceability, and ESG compliance are increasingly emphasized.
Representatives of USGBC and GBCI said demand for LEED certification continues to rise across global markets, reflecting developers’ long-term commitments to quality, sustainability, risk management, and healthier workplaces. Among the top ten markets, logistics and distribution projects recorded especially robust growth.
The 2025 ranking highlights Asia’s continued role as the engine of LEED growth, with mainland China, India, South Korea, Hong Kong (China), and Vietnam all represented. In Latin America, Brazil and Mexico sustained their expansion, while Sweden led Europe, and Canada held third place outside the United States.
