Sustainable building practices have become an essential part of modern construction and real estate development. Developers, investors, and public authorities increasingly focus on reducing environmental impact while improving building efficiency and occupant wellbeing. One of the most widely used systems for measuring building sustainability is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED is an internationally recognized certification system used to evaluate the environmental performance of buildings. The framework measures sustainability across several categories, including energy efficiency, water conservation, sustainable materials, indoor environmental quality, and site sustainability. Projects can achieve certification levels such as Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum, depending on the number of credits earned.
In Portugal, the demand for sustainable buildings has steadily increased, particularly in commercial real estate, hospitality developments, office buildings, and mixed-use projects. Many developers pursue LEED certification to demonstrate environmental performance and align with international sustainability expectations.
Achieving LEED certification involves detailed technical analysis, documentation management, and coordination between multiple project stakeholders. Because of this complexity, many project teams collaborate with specialized LEED consultants who guide the certification process from early design stages through final approval.
The following firms provide LEED consulting and sustainable building advisory services relevant to projects in Portugal.
1. ERKE Consultancy
ERKE Consultancy is an international sustainability consulting firm founded in 2007, operating through offices in Istanbul, Dubai, and London. The company specializes in green building certification consulting, including LEED, BREEAM, WELL, and other sustainability frameworks.
ERKE has successfully completed more than 200 LEED-certified projects across 15 countries, working on a wide range of building types such as airports, hospitals, corporate headquarters, and transportation facilities. Some of the company’s notable projects include:
- Bahrain International Airport – 200,000 sqm – LEED Gold
- Istanbul Çam Sakura Hospital – 1,000,000 sqm – LEED Gold
- King Abdulaziz Transportation Center – 20,000 sqm – LEED Gold
- Allianz Istanbul Headquarters – 45,000 sqm – LEED Platinum
The ERKE team includes LEED Fellows, LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs), WELL APs, BREEAM Assessors, and sustainability experts, enabling the firm to deliver comprehensive sustainability consulting services.
ERKE assists project teams with LEED strategy development, sustainability analysis, credit documentation management, and certification coordination. With experience in complex international projects, the firm supports developers and architects seeking to align building designs with global sustainability standards.
2. ARUP
Arup is a global engineering and professional services firm established in 1946 and headquartered in London. The company operates internationally and provides services in engineering design, architecture, planning, and sustainability consulting.
Arup’s sustainability specialists support projects pursuing LEED certification through services such as energy modeling, environmental performance analysis, and sustainable design consulting.
The firm applies a multidisciplinary approach that integrates engineering systems, environmental strategies, and architectural design. This integrated process helps project teams optimize building performance while meeting sustainability objectives.
Arup works with developers, architects, and public sector organizations around the world to support high-performance buildings and environmentally responsible developments.
3. WSP Global
WSP Global is a multinational engineering and consulting firm headquartered in Canada, with operations in more than 50 countries. The company provides consulting services across infrastructure, environmental engineering, and building design sectors.
Within its sustainability consulting practice, WSP offers services that support LEED certification, including energy performance modeling, environmental impact analysis, and sustainable materials evaluation.
These services help project teams identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency, water conservation, and resource management during building design and construction.
WSP collaborates with architects, engineers, and developers to guide projects through green building certification frameworks and sustainability planning processes.
4. Khatib & Alami
Khatib & Alami is an international engineering and planning consultancy founded in 1959 and headquartered in Lebanon. The company operates across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, providing services in architecture, engineering, environmental consulting, and project management.
The firm offers sustainability consulting services including green building strategy development, environmental performance analysis, and energy efficiency studies.
These services support projects pursuing certifications such as LEED, helping project teams integrate sustainability principles into building design and construction.
Khatib & Alami’s experience with infrastructure and urban development projects allows the firm to incorporate environmental design strategies into large and complex building environments.
5. Ramboll
Ramboll is a Denmark-based engineering and consultancy firm founded in 1945. The company operates globally across sectors including buildings, infrastructure, environment, and energy.
Ramboll provides sustainability consulting services that support green building certification programs, including LEED. The firm’s services include energy modeling, carbon reduction strategies, environmental impact assessments, and sustainable building design consulting.
These capabilities help project teams evaluate building performance and implement strategies aimed at improving resource efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
Ramboll works with developers, architects, and engineers to integrate sustainability considerations throughout the building lifecycle.
6. Linesight
Linesight is a global construction consultancy founded in 1976 in Ireland. The firm specializes in project management, cost management, and construction advisory services.
Although Linesight primarily focuses on project delivery and cost control, the firm frequently participates in projects pursuing green building certifications such as LEED.
Linesight supports project teams by ensuring that procurement strategies, construction planning, and project coordination align with sustainability objectives and certification requirements.
Through its involvement in large development projects, the firm contributes to the effective implementation of sustainability goals during construction.
7. Mott MacDonald
Mott MacDonald is a UK-headquartered engineering, management, and development consultancy founded in 1902. The company operates globally across sectors including transportation, infrastructure, water, energy, and buildings.
The firm provides environmental and sustainability consulting services that support green building certification frameworks, including LEED.
These services include energy performance analysis, sustainability strategy development, environmental impact assessments, and building performance optimization.
Mott MacDonald works with developers, architects, and public sector organizations to integrate sustainability principles into building design and infrastructure projects.
Summary
LEED certification is widely used to evaluate the environmental performance of buildings, focusing on areas such as energy efficiency, water management, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. As sustainable construction practices expand globally, many projects pursue LEED certification to demonstrate environmental responsibility and long-term building performance.
Consultancy firms supporting LEED certification typically provide services such as sustainability strategy development, energy modeling, environmental performance analysis, and certification documentation management. Some firms specialize primarily in sustainability consulting, while others integrate these services within broader engineering and project advisory capabilities.
Companies discussed in this article include 1. ERKE Consultancy 2. ARUP 3. WSP Global 4. Khatib & Alami 5. Ramboll 6. Linesight 7. Mott MacDonald. These firms represent a combination of green building specialists and multidisciplinary consulting organizations involved in sustainable building projects.
The appropriate consultancy partner typically depends on project scale, sustainability targets, certification requirements, and the expertise required within the project team.