USGBC and GBCI are the innovators of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), the most widely used and trusted green building program in the world. As the global leaders of the green building movement, we are looking to the future, which we see clearly through what we call our 2020 vision. With this vision, we are striving every day to bring more people into the global green building movement, to widen our sphere of influence and to innovate beyond what seems possible today.
First, the basics. LEED is a global movement. Over the last two decades, LEED has revolutionized the practice of green building design, construction, operations and maintenance. Starting in the United States, LEED has quickly expanded to 164 countries and territories. Today, there are more than 36,400 LEED certified commercial projects, representing nearly 5.5 billion square feet of certified space, and an additional 53,200 projects in the pipeline waiting to be certified, which will add more than 11.6 billion gross square feet of space. Every day, more than 2.2 million square feet of space certifies to LEED and it is estimated that more than 5 million people experience a LEED building.
Our 2020 vision will build on the years of success we have experienced. Over the next 10 years, LEED’s rapid growth rate is expected to continue both at the domestic and international levels. The future of green building in the U.S. and all around the world is bright. Our goal is to expand LEED to all markets and ensure a sustainable future for them all. To do that, we will focus on the key objectives of data and performance, as well as transparency.
Over the last two decades, USGBC and GBCI have gathered more green building data than any other organization in the world. This data reveals trends and patterns in green building practices that can be harnessed by the marketplace to make educated, strategic business decisions and leverage emerging opportunities. Since 2012, USGBC has been developing new ways to provide greater transparency and understanding of the various dimensions of the built environment through these tools.
USGBC has invested heavily in its LEED Online platform, a cloud-enabled solution that guides LEED projects from start to finish. LEED Online and its powerful infrastructure sets LEED apart from any other green building rating system.
USGBC also recently announced a new platform that combines data, mobility and the most disruptive technologies on the horizon. This platform, called Arc, allows buildings and places to compare performance metrics and connect to green building strategies. In doing so, Arc enables any project that uses the platform to make incremental improvements, earn LEED certification or other green building rating system certifications and make more informed decisions.
We are also expanding our focus from buildings to communities and cities. Through Arc, we will encourage the development of smart cities on a global scale through an integrative approach to sustainable development, city planning and improve the quality of life. Arc will integrate all of our offerings into a single global platform. It’s designed to evaluate a city’s ability to implement energy efficiency, water preservation, waste management, citizen health and wellness. This will allow decision makers to identify challenges, guide their planning and focus on economic prosperity. USGBC can already evaluate data for 100 cities in the U.S., 55 cities in India and 43 cities in China with this innovative platform.
Transparency is another hallmark of our work and that will only continue. Over the next four years, we will expand our efforts on this front through LEED and Arc. As innovators and leaders of the green building movement, USGBC and GBCI are committed to building stronger, better communities across the globe. The 2020 vision will help us harness our existing resources and enhance our ability to share what works. We look forward to sharing our progress as we continue to LEED ON!