India rises to second in global LEED green building rankings 2025

The U.S. Green Building Council ranked India second globally for LEED green building adoption in 2025, with 16.1 million gross square metres across 611 projects and a higher share of existing-building certifications. The rise signals Indian asset owners prioritising operational carbon performance to meet national decarbonisation goals and secure green capital.

The U.S. Green Building Council and Green Business Certification Inc. released the 2025 Top 10 Countries and Regions for LEED on February 3, 2026. Globally, 2025 recorded more than 7,500 commercial projects certified, totalling over 147 million gross square metres. India rose to second place, recording 16.1 million gross square metres across 611 projects, with a higher volume of existing-building certifications than new projects. Mainland China retained the top spot with 1,939 projects totalling 26.6 million gross square metres, while Vietnam entered the Top 10 at eighth, jumping 20 places since 2023.

India's real estate sector is directly affected, expanding LEED adoption beyond traditional offices into industrial manufacturing and hospitality, with asset owners prioritising long-term operational performance to meet national decarbonisation goals. Global corporations across jurisdictions are affected, using LEED certification to demonstrate creditworthiness and regulatory alignment. Investors are affected, increasingly using LEED metrics to de-risk portfolios and secure lower-cost green capital. The warehouse, distribution, and existing-building maintenance segments are prominent, as markets including China and India shift toward Operations and Maintenance certifications optimising existing assets.

Indian asset owners should prioritise long-term operational performance and existing-building certifications, reflecting the market shift toward LEED for Operations and Maintenance that values actual carbon performance over theoretical design potential. Corporations should use LEED certification as a standardised tool to demonstrate creditworthiness and regulatory alignment across jurisdictions. Investors should apply LEED metrics to de-risk portfolios and secure lower-cost green capital. Entities should monitor expanding adoption across industrial manufacturing and hospitality sectors as India advances toward national decarbonisation goals in the built environment.

Key figure — India ranking: second globally with 16.1 million gross square metres across 611 projects