Maharashtra is followed by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released the list of India’sTop 10 States for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design),the world’s most widely used green building rating system. This is the secondyearthat the list has been releasedin India and it ranks states in terms of cumulativegross square feet (GSF) of LEED-certified spaceas of December 31, 2018.

“India is a leader in green building, and continues todemonstrate year-over-year growth,” said Mr. Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan,Managing Director, Southeast Asiaand Middle East, USGBC and Green BusinessCertification Inc. (GBCI).“Many government agencies and state governments havestarted offering incentives around LEED, and businesses, educational institutionsand nonprofits across every sector in India are committing to LEED. Theseleaders are stepping up and answering the call, advancing sustainable, healthyand environmentally friendly buildings and working to raise the living standard for the people in their communities.”

LEED is an international symbol of sustainabilityexcellence that signifies a building is lowering carbon emissions, conservingresources and cutting costs, while prioritizing sustainable practices andcreating a healthier environment. Buildings that are LEED-certified createhealthier spaces for people, as well as use less energy and water, reduce airpollution, provide cleaner air indoors and save money for businesses andfamilies. They also generate fewer emissions compared to traditional buildings —not only during the construction stage but also after they are occupied andthroughout the entire lifecycle of a building.

From the states mapped, Maharashtratops the list,followed by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Haryana. The Top 10 states for LEED arehome to more than 840 million Indians, and together include more than 475 milliongross square feet of LEED-certified space. The detailed rankingsareincludedbelow: