The number of United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified factories reached 253, as three new factory units recently achieved the certification.聽
Of the 253 green factories, 105 are platinum-rated, 132 are gold-rated, 12 are silver-rated, and four are certified factories, according to the Bangladesh Apparel Exchange.
In July, Tangail-based聽Comfit Rainbow Dyeing and Finishing Ltd. obtained a gold certificate under the LEED O+M: Existing Building v4.1 rating system, achieving聽a score of 75.
Moreover, the Habiganj-based two factory units, Saiham Cotton Mills Limited Units 1 and 2, also achieved a silver certificate under the LEED BD+C: New Construction v4 rating system.聽Both factory units obtained a score of 58.
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 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 enable green factories to significantly reduce operational costs over time, even though they may initially incur higher setup costs.
Mohiuddin Rubel, managing director of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange and former director of the BGMEA, 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鈥簊 image after the Rana Plaza tragedy, which claimed 1,134 lives and left more than 2,000 injured.