Washington, D.C. (18 Nov 2015) – Under EMSI's great efforts, the U.S. Green Building Council and Green Business Certification Inc. signed into a collaboration with Beijing-based Shougang, one of China’s largest steel companies and Fortune 500 company. The partnership aims to incorporate LEED, the WELL Building System and other green building rating systems into a new, mixed-use development on an old factory site spanning 863 hectares, in addition to creating an ongoing collaboration around LEED in China, education in the green building arena and workforce development.

Named the “New Shougang High-End Industry Comprehensive Service District,” the project seeks to transform an old factory heritage site in Beijing into a “new comprehensive service provider” combining infrastructure, district development, industrial layout and ecological harmony for financial and health care services, culture and sports, among others. Through the development, Shougang hopes to achieve a “green Beijing” to serve as a national example of green innovation in the construction of low-carbon ecological Chinese cities while being a world model of green building certification for industrial heritage renovations. Shougang has 20 more similar projects in China currently in development.

“The market for green building in Greater China has seen extraordinary growth since its first LEED project earned certification in 2005,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, chief operating officer, USGBC, and president, Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). “Every story about a LEED building is a story about leaders. As a leader, Shougang is setting a new vision to transform existing industrial sites. This partnership is focused on transforming old industrial structures to new sustainable spaces providing a greater momentum to our market transformation goals.”

LEED has facilitated advances in building technologies, integrated design and operating practices, as well as the tremendous growth of the green building sector, especially in China, the second largest market for LEED in the world outside the U.S. with 118.3 million gross square meters of space participating in the LEED green building rating system.

The green building industry contributes more than $134.3 billion in labor income in the U.S. and by 2018, the industry’s direct contribution to U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is also expected to reach $303.5 billion. LEED has facilitated advances in building technologies, integrated design and operating practices, as well as the tremendous growth of the green building sector.