LEED by the Numbers: State of the Projects
In a world increasingly focused on sustainability, the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification has become a vital standard for green buildings. Since its inception by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 1998, this international certification has seen growing adoption in many countries, including Thailand. Currently, there are 111,397 LEED-certified projects worldwide. In Thailand, 448 projects have achieved LEED certification among 601 registered , compared to 233 certified projects in Malaysia. These numbers highlight the rising interest in sustainable building practices globally.
The data used in this article comes from the USGBC database, downloaded on 06/26/2024, available here.
What is LEEDÂ ?
LEED certification evaluates buildings across 8 categories:
Site: Planning and designing to preserve and restore existing natural habitats and wildlife, aiming to integrate the site into local and regional ecosystems and preserve biodiversity.
Transport and Location:Â Choosing a site for its proximity to existing developments and access, encouraging compact developments, alternative transportation, connection to existing networks, and proximity services.
Water Management:Â Efficient use of water by minimizing water usage, installing relevant controls, protecting potable sources, recovering rainwater, and using wastewater for external, internal, and operational process needs.
Energy Management:Â Minimizing energy demand by incorporating passive design strategies based on local climatic conditions and supplementing building needs with clean energy and high-efficiency active systems and controls. (See our explanatory video on this topic)
Indoor Environmental Quality:Â Designing a building that values health, comfort, and well-being of its users.
Materials: Choosing environmentally friendly materials by preferring locally sourced, bio-based, low-toxic emission materials with minimized environmental impact throughout their lifecycle.
Innovation:Â Encouraging projects to undertake environmental initiatives and implement sustainable building innovations that can both elevate the project towards exceptional performance and also catalyze adoption of these innovations in other projects.
Regional Priorities:Â Encouraging projects to consider local geographic considerations in terms of environment, social equity, and public health.
Each category includes prerequisites and credits. Prerequisites are mandatory for certification, while credits are optional but help achieve higher points and a better certification level. For more information on how LEED works, consult our guide: LEED Practical Guide.
Levels of LEED certification
The LEED rating system is structured into different certification levels, ranging from basic certification to Platinum, based on the number of points earned in these categories. A maximum of 110 points can be obtained in total:
Certified: 40 to 49 points
Silver: 50 to 59 points
Gold: 60 to 79 points
Platinum: 80 points and above
The above graph shows the distribution of LEED certifications worldwide. The majority of projects achieve Gold (34.7%) and Silver (29.1%) certifications. Basic (Certified) certifications represent 25.3% of projects, while Platinum certifications are the fewest at 10.9%, representing the best in sustainability.
The graph above illustrates the distribution of LEED certifications in Thailand. Unlike the global trend, Thailand shows a higher proportion of Gold-certified projects (48.7%). Platinum certifications are at 11.2%, Certified certifications are at 23.8%, and Silver certifications make up 16.2%. This distribution suggests a strong commitment to high sustainability standards in Thailand, with a particular focus on achieving Gold certification.
LEED by sector
The LEED certification system is designed to be versatile and adaptable to various sectors, allowing different types of buildings to meet sustainability standards. There are several LEED certification systems:
LEED BD+C (Building Design and Construction): For new construction or major renovations.
LEED ID+C (Interior Design and Construction): For interior design and construction projects.
LEED O+M (Operations and Maintenance): For existing buildings looking to improve their environmental performance through renovation.
LEED ND (Neighborhood Development): For neighborhood development projects.
LEED Homes: For individual homes and multifamily buildings.
LEED Cities: For cities and communities to promote urban sustainability.
The above graph shows the distribution of LEED-certified projects worldwide by sector. The residential sector accounts for the largest share at 42.9%, followed closely by the commercial sector at 39.8%. Industrial (8.7%), educational/governmental (7.2%), and health sectors (1.5%) represent smaller shares. This distribution underscores the growing importance of sustainability in the residential and commercial sectors globally.
The graph above illustrates the distribution of LEED-certified projects by sector in Thailand. Contrary to the global trend, the commercial sector dominates with 78% of the projects. Industrial (18.3%) and educational/governmental (1.9%) sectors follow, while the residential sector represents only 1.3% of the projects. This distribution highlights a strong predominance of commercial projects in adopting LEED certifications in Thailand, with lesser interest in the residential and health sectors.
Evolution of LEED Certification in Thailand and Worldwide
The evolution of the number of LEED-certified projects over the years illustrates the growth and increasing adoption of sustainable building practices globally and in Thailand.
Globally, from 2014 to June 2024, the number of LEED-certified projects has shown exponential growth, increasing from 5,699 projects in 2014 to 111,397 projects in 2024. This nearly twenty fold increase highlights the growing emphasis on sustainability in the global construction sector.
In Thailand, the number of LEED-certified projects has also seen significant growth. Starting from just 5 projects in 2014, the number has surged to 448 projects in 2024, marking an eighty-eight fold increase. This remarkable growth underscores Thailand's commitment to sustainable building practices and the adoption of international sustainability standards.
For more information about our LEED services, visit our dedicated page.
Conclusion
The data shows an increasing adoption of LEED certifications globally and in Thailand. This progression reflects a global commitment to sustainable construction and environmental protection. Sectoral distribution reveals that the residential and commercial sectors are the main drivers of this global adoption, while in Thailand, the commercial sector predominates. With certification systems adapted to various types of projects, LEED continues to play a crucial role in promoting sustainable buildings.
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