LEED Certification Challenges for México

Mexico has long been a leader in LEED certification, it was recognized in 2019 to be the 8th country in gross square meter LEED certified projects[1] and has certified 232 projects since then (December 2020 to July 2021)[2]. It has been recognized to be a driver of increased rent/sale value, energy consumption savings, reduce maintenance cost, occupants comfort and to be environmentally friendly[3]. The importance of green building certifications, where LEED is the most applied worldwide, is to follow a holistic guideline and have weight the compliance from a recognized third party.

Image courtesy of USGBC[2]. LEED®, and its related logo, is a trademark owned by the U.S. Green Building Council®

Considering these factors why there is not more projects develop in our country? We believe it’s because of:

• Lack of information or misinformation; and
• Sustainability construction standards are deficient.

​According to the Dodge Data & Analytics survey from 2018, 19% of the projects are pursuing green building activity based on client request, most of these clients are large companies that to comply with such certifications is at the center of their policies or that they take advantage of stock market green bonds or similar financial tools. Simplified, the certification allows the company to prove to their investors that their investment is environmentally responsible and in the long term generate more profit.

However, for smaller development there is 2 line of thinking: it is as simple as having few solar panels or it is too expensive. First, the LEED certification is not a perfect model but is accessible and touch all main sustainability branches: dense urbanization, urban mobility, fauna/flora conservation, material life-cycle, energy use, human comfort, and society impacts. We recommend you take a look at our LEED page for more details. Second, certification fees, credit documentation, and additional investment for building compliance are added cost but the process provides benefits that extend for the whole life of the building and is recuperated in 2-5 years of operation[4]. It is all a balance that developers and building operators should understand that the increase of 5-10% in sale value is a warranty that the construction will save energy, water, benefit the society.

The second factor to consider for LEED or green building certifications is that in most Latin American countries the minimum construction standards/practices are lacking to protect the environment or are not always followed. This means that following the best international practices and comparing to the latest international standard is a big leap for architect, engineers, and builders and this is reflected into costs that developer/investors are not planning. However, there is a learning curve and once reaching same construction sustainability standards as leading countries there is no higher investment required. Government are not leading the change as other topics are to prioritize such as poverty, healthcare, education, and security. Thus, it is crucial that the private sector lead the way to a healthier building environment.

Image courtesy of Dodge Data & Analytics - Smart Market Report 2018 [3].

Image courtesy of Dodge Data & Analytics - Smart Market Report 2018 [3].

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References: 
[1] U.S. Green Building Council releases 2019 Top 10 Countries and Regions for LEED, https://gbci.org/us-green-building-council-releases-2019-top-10-countries-and-regions-leed
[2] Country Market Brief, https://www.usgbc.org/resources/country-market-brief
[3] World Green Building Trends 2018 Smart Market  Report,
https://www.worldgbc.org/sites/default/files/World%20Green%20Building%20Trends%202018%20SMR%20FINAL%2010-11.pdf
[4] La certificación LEED, ¿se apaga en México?, https://obras.expansion.mx/soluciones/2015/07/10/la-certificacion-leed-se-apaga-en-mexico