Four more readymade garment factory units in Bangladesh have obtained the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certificates issued by the United States Green Building Council鈥檚 (USGBC).
Including the four, Bangladesh now has a total of 248 green factories. Of them, 105 are platinum-rated, 129 are gold-rated, 10 are silver-rated, and four are certified factories, according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
In June, Manikganj-based Advance Attire Limited achieved a platinum certificate from the USGBC under LEED BD+C: New Construction v3 rating system with a score of 96.
Narsingdi-based聽Amanat Shah Fabrics Ltd 鈥� Woven Composite also obtained a platinum聽certificate under LEED O+M: Existing Building v4 rating system with a score of 82.
Cotton Field BD Ltd 鈥� Production Building, a Gazipur-based factory unit, achieved platinum certificate with a score of 83 under聽LEED BD+C: New Construction v4 rating system.
Moreover, KM Apparel Knit (Pvt) Limited, a Dhaka-based factory, obtained a gold certificate under LEED BD+C: New Construction v4 rating system, said the BGMEA data.
So far, 68 of the world鈥檚 top 100 LEED factories, including nine of the top 10 and 18 of the top 20, are in Bangladesh.
This success is expected to attract new investment and partnerships, reinforcing Bangladesh鈥檚 position as a sustainable manufacturing hub.
According to industry insiders, a total of 550 Bangladeshi factories were awaiting the USGBC鈥檚 LEED certification.
The factories of Bangladesh have been obtaining the LEED certificate since 2011.
The USGBC honours factories based on several criteria: transformation performance, energy, water and waste management. The best performers are rated platinum, followed by gold and silver.
According to industry insiders, these criteria help green factories significantly reduce operational costs over time, even though they may initially spend more for the set up.
Former BGMEA director Mohiuddin Rubel said that as the world increasingly prioritised ESG performance and sustainability in supply chains, this milestone enhanced the country鈥檚 global image.
According to apparel manufacturers, the move towards green factory buildings helped regain Bangladesh鈥檚 image after the Rana Plaza tragedy, which claimed 1,134 lives and left more than 2,000 injured.