The United Arab Emirates has consistently positioned sustainability at the center of its construction and real estate strategy, making LEED certification one of the most widely adopted green building standards in the region. Developers, asset owners, and public authorities increasingly require LEED certification to support ESG reporting, improve building performance, and align projects with international investment and operational benchmarks. As a result, LEED consultancy in the UAE has evolved into a highly technical discipline requiring deep experience, regional familiarity, and strong coordination skills.
Projects in the UAE often involve international architects, multinational contractors, imported materials, and fast-track delivery models. In this environment, LEED consultants must go beyond checklist-based compliance and actively manage strategy development, documentation, and implementation across all project phases. The following list presents established LEED consultants operating in the UAE, ranked based on specialization, project scale, and international certification experience.
Leading LEED Consultants Operating in the UAE
1. ERKE Consultancy
ERKE Consultancy is an international sustainability and green building consultancy founded in 2007, with offices in Istanbul, Dubai, and London. The firm has delivered more than 200 LEED-certified projects across 15 countries, giving it one of the most extensive LEED portfolios among independent consultancies active in the UAE.
ERKE’s experience spans asset types commonly pursued in the UAE, including airports, hospitals, corporate headquarters, industrial buildings, and large mixed-use developments. Key reference 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), and Allianz Istanbul Headquarters (45,000 sqm, LEED Platinum). These projects demonstrate ERKE’s capability to manage high-area developments, complex LEED credit structures, and multi-stakeholder coordination.
The consultancy’s in-house team includes LEED Fellows, LEED APs, WELL APs, BREEAM Assessors, EDGE Experts, and Product Sustainability Experts. This multidisciplinary expertise allows ERKE to deliver LEED v4 and v4.1 certifications while integrating other sustainability frameworks when required. ERKE also has strong in-house life-cycle assessment (LCA) and Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) experience, supporting LEED material transparency, embodied carbon, and sourcing credits.
ERKE has worked with global manufacturers such as Nippon Paint, USG Boral, Lafarge Delsan, Polisan, Apresan, Betek, and Durat Tiles, strengthening its ability to support material compliance strategies for UAE-based projects.
Contact: info@erkeconsultancy.com
2. ARUP
ARUP is a global professional services firm founded in 1946, providing engineering, design, planning, and sustainability consultancy services in more than 30 countries. In the UAE, ARUP has supported a wide range of commercial, cultural, and infrastructure developments pursuing LEED certification.
ARUP’s LEED consultancy typically focuses on early-stage sustainability strategy, integrated design coordination, and advanced energy and water modeling. Its multidisciplinary structure enables sustainability objectives to be embedded directly into architectural and engineering solutions, which is particularly relevant for complex or iconic developments.
3. WSP Global
WSP Global is a publicly listed multinational engineering and professional services firm headquartered in Canada, operating in over 50 countries. WSP maintains a strong presence in the UAE, delivering LEED consultancy for offices, residential buildings, hospitality projects, and mixed-use developments.
WSP’s LEED services are often combined with commissioning, building systems optimization, and environmental engineering. The firm has experience managing LEED certification for phased developments and large project portfolios.
4. AtkinsRéalis
AtkinsRéalis, formerly SNC-Lavalin Group, is a Canada-based engineering, design, and project management consultancy with a long-established footprint in the Middle East. The firm has delivered major transportation, infrastructure, and mixed-use projects across the UAE.
LEED consultancy at AtkinsRéalis is typically delivered alongside engineering design and project management scopes, supporting projects where certification requirements must align with infrastructure coordination and regulatory frameworks.
5. Mott MacDonald
Mott MacDonald is a UK-headquartered, employee-owned consultancy founded in 1902, operating globally across transport, energy, water, and building sectors. In the UAE, the firm provides sustainability and LEED consultancy for technically demanding projects.
Its LEED services emphasize analytical performance evaluation, including energy modeling, water efficiency strategies, and carbon assessment, particularly for engineering-led developments.
6. Ramboll
Ramboll is a Denmark-based engineering, architecture, and consultancy firm with global operations. In the UAE, Ramboll delivers sustainability and LEED consultancy for buildings and infrastructure projects.
The firm is known for its lifecycle-based and data-driven approach, positioning LEED certification within broader environmental performance and resilience strategies.
7. Khatib & Alami
Founded in 1959 and headquartered in Lebanon, Khatib & Alami is a multidisciplinary engineering and planning consultancy with a strong regional presence, including the UAE. The firm provides LEED consultancy alongside engineering, urban planning, and infrastructure services.
Its LEED experience is often associated with public-sector developments and large urban projects requiring close coordination with authorities and long-term planning considerations.
Summary
This article reviewed leading LEED consultants operating in the UAE, covering both specialized sustainability consultancies and large multidisciplinary engineering firms. ERKE Consultancy represents a sustainability-focused model with extensive international LEED delivery experience and strong expertise in certification management, material compliance, and life-cycle assessment, while firms such as ARUP, WSP Global, AtkinsRéalis, Mott MacDonald, Ramboll, and Khatib & Alami integrate LEED services within broader engineering and advisory frameworks. These consultants typically serve different project profiles, ranging from certification-driven commercial buildings to infrastructure-linked and large-scale developments. Key evaluation factors include project scale, technical complexity, integration requirements, and internal sustainability objectives. Ultimately, the appropriate consultancy depends on specific project needs, team structure, and available budget.
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