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Porta Nuova, Milan - LEED v4.1 Communities: Existing, Gold certification. Photo courtesy of COIMA.

At the center of discussions is LEED v5, the latest version of the world's most widely used green building rating system, as a bridge to EU Taxonomy alignment - a critical priority for the European market, where regulatory pressure and investor demand are accelerating the integration of certification, finance, and ESG reporting.

GBCI Europe Impact Report 2026: European Real Estate Shifts from Sustainability to Risk Management

As part of the main conference program, Peter Templeton, President and CEO of USGBC and GBCI will present the GBCI Europe Impact Report 2026, based on data analysis of LEED certification performance across key European markets. The report highlights how the built environment is evolving in response to decarbonization, resilience, and growing ESG demands, while confirming strong alignment across core performance areas such as energy efficiency, operational performance, and indoor environmental quality.

Milan Selected to Host Circle 2026 as Italy's Market Gains Momentum

Milan's selection as host city underscores Italy's position as a mature and rapidly advancing market, where LEED certification is increasingly embedded in investment, development, and asset management strategies. In 2025, Italy ranked third in Europe for LEED certification activity. Early 2026 data already indicates accelerating momentum, with certification volumes increasing nearly 1.8 times year-over-year, strengthening the country's position in the race for leadership in 2026.

GBCI Europe acknowledges the support of Circle 2026 Platinum sponsors, Daikin Europe N.V. and RISE S.r.l., as well as GBC Italia as the official communication partner.

About Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)

GBCI administers project certifications and professional credentials and certificates including Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating systems, EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies), TRUE certification for zero waste, the Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES), and Investor Confidence Project (ICP) for energy efficiency retrofits. For more information, visit gbci.org and connect on LinkedIn.

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Contact

Media Contact:Olessia Skrla[email protected] GBCI Europe

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