Sustainable construction practices are increasingly shaping the global real estate and infrastructure sectors. Developers, investors, and governments are placing greater emphasis on reducing environmental impact while improving building performance and occupant wellbeing. One of the most widely used certification frameworks for sustainable buildings is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED is an internationally recognized rating system that evaluates the environmental performance of buildings across several categories. These include energy efficiency, water management, sustainable materials, indoor environmental quality, and site sustainability. Based on the number of sustainability credits achieved, projects can obtain certification levels such as Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.
Portugal has seen steady growth in sustainable building initiatives as developers increasingly adopt environmental standards for commercial, hospitality, residential, and mixed-use developments. Projects that pursue LEED certification often require specialized expertise in environmental design, energy analysis, and certification documentation.
Because the LEED process involves detailed technical analysis and coordination across multiple project stakeholders, many organizations work with experienced LEED consultants. These consultants help guide project teams from early design phases through certification submission and approval.
Below are several consulting firms that 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 firm provides consulting services related to green building certification systems such as LEED, BREEAM, WELL, and other sustainability frameworks.
ERKE has completed more than 200 LEED-certified projects across 15 countries, working on a wide range of building types including airports, hospitals, corporate headquarters, and infrastructure facilities. Some notable projects in the company’s portfolio 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 company’s team includes LEED Fellows, LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs), WELL APs, and sustainability specialists. This multidisciplinary expertise allows ERKE to support project teams through the full certification process, including sustainability strategy development, credit management, environmental analysis, and certification documentation.
With experience delivering projects across multiple regions and complex building types, ERKE supports international developments seeking alignment with global sustainability standards.
2. ARUP
Arup is a global engineering and consulting firm established in 1946 and headquartered in London. The company provides services across engineering design, architecture, urban planning, and sustainability consulting.
Arup’s sustainability specialists support projects pursuing LEED and other green building certifications through services such as energy modeling, building performance analysis, and sustainable design strategies.
The firm’s multidisciplinary approach enables integrated design solutions that combine engineering systems, environmental performance, and architectural considerations. This integrated process helps project teams optimize building efficiency and sustainability outcomes.
Arup works with developers, architects, and public sector organizations worldwide to deliver high-performance buildings and environmentally responsible infrastructure projects.
3. WSP Global
WSP Global is a multinational engineering and professional services 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 provides services that support LEED certification, including energy performance modeling, environmental impact assessments, and sustainable materials analysis.
These services help project teams identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency, resource management, and environmental performance during the design and construction phases.
WSP collaborates with architects, engineers, developers, and contractors to guide projects through green building certification processes and sustainability planning frameworks.
4. Khatib & Alami
Khatib & Alami is a multidisciplinary 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 that include green building strategy development, energy efficiency studies, and environmental performance analysis.
These services support projects pursuing certifications such as LEED, helping design teams incorporate sustainability principles into building design and construction processes.
Khatib & Alami’s experience with infrastructure and large-scale developments allows the firm to integrate environmental design strategies within complex building environments.
5. Ramboll
Ramboll is a Denmark-based engineering and consultancy firm founded in 1945. The company operates internationally across sectors including buildings, infrastructure, environment, and energy.
Ramboll provides sustainability consulting services that support green building certification programs, including LEED. Its services include energy modeling, carbon reduction strategies, environmental impact assessments, and sustainable building design consulting.
These capabilities allow project teams to evaluate building performance and implement strategies aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
Ramboll works with architects, developers, and engineering teams to integrate sustainability considerations throughout the building lifecycle.
6. Linesight
Linesight is a global construction consultancy founded in 1976 in Ireland. The firm provides project management, cost management, and construction advisory services for complex development projects.
Although Linesight is primarily focused on project delivery and cost management, the firm frequently participates in projects pursuing sustainability 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-scale development projects, the company contributes to the successful delivery of buildings that aim to meet environmental performance targets.
7. Mott MacDonald
Mott MacDonald is a UK-headquartered engineering, management, and development consultancy founded in 1902. The firm operates globally across sectors including transportation, infrastructure, water, energy, and buildings.
The company 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 studies, and building performance optimization.
Mott MacDonald works with developers, architects, and public sector clients to integrate sustainability considerations into building design and infrastructure projects.
Summary
LEED certification provides a framework for evaluating the environmental performance of buildings, focusing on areas such as energy efficiency, water management, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. As sustainable construction practices continue to expand, more projects pursue certification to demonstrate environmental responsibility and improved building performance.
Consultancy firms supporting LEED certification typically offer services including sustainability strategy development, energy modeling, environmental analysis, and certification documentation management. Some organizations 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 most suitable consultancy partner typically depends on project scale, certification objectives, sustainability requirements, and the expertise needed within the project team.