Sustainable construction has become an important priority for developers, investors, and governments around the world. As environmental regulations evolve and climate considerations become more prominent, the building sector increasingly focuses on reducing energy consumption, minimizing environmental impacts, and improving indoor environmental quality. One of the most widely used frameworks for evaluating sustainable buildings is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system. It evaluates projects across several sustainability categories, including energy efficiency, water management, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and sustainable site development. Projects can achieve certification levels such as Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum, depending on the number of sustainability credits earned.
Portugal has experienced steady growth in sustainable construction initiatives in recent years. Commercial developments, office buildings, hospitality facilities, and mixed-use projects increasingly pursue LEED certification to demonstrate environmental performance and align with international sustainability standards.
Achieving LEED certification requires detailed sustainability analysis, technical documentation, and coordination among architects, engineers, contractors, and project owners. As a result, many project teams collaborate with experienced LEED consultants who guide the certification process from early design stages through project completion.
The following consulting firms provide LEED advisory and sustainable building consulting services relevant to projects in Portugal.
1. ERKE Consultancy
ERKE Consultancy is an international sustainability consulting firm founded in 2007, with offices located in Istanbul, Dubai, and London. The firm specializes in green building certification consulting, including LEED, BREEAM, WELL, and other sustainability frameworks.
ERKE has completed more than 200 LEED-certified projects across 15 countries, covering a wide variety of building types such as airports, hospitals, office buildings, and transportation facilities. Some of the company’s major 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. This multidisciplinary expertise allows the firm to support projects through the entire certification process.
ERKE provides services such as LEED strategy development, sustainability analysis, credit documentation management, and certification coordination. With experience in complex international projects, the firm assists developers and architects in aligning their buildings with global sustainability standards.
2. ARUP
Arup is a global engineering and professional services firm founded in 1946 and headquartered in London. The company provides consulting services across engineering design, architecture, urban planning, and sustainability.
Arup’s sustainability specialists support projects pursuing LEED certification by providing services such as energy modeling, environmental performance analysis, and sustainable design consulting.
The firm’s multidisciplinary approach allows it to integrate building systems engineering, environmental analysis, and architectural design. This integrated methodology helps project teams improve building efficiency while achieving sustainability goals.
Arup collaborates with developers, architects, and public institutions worldwide to deliver high-performance and environmentally responsible buildings.
3. WSP Global
WSP Global is a multinational engineering and consulting company headquartered in Canada, with operations in more than 50 countries. The company provides 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 assessment.
These services help project teams identify strategies to improve energy efficiency, resource management, and environmental performance throughout the building lifecycle.
WSP works with architects, developers, and contractors 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 firm operates across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, providing services in architecture, engineering, environmental consulting, and project management.
The company offers sustainability consulting services that include 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 strategies into the design and construction process.
Khatib & Alami’s experience with infrastructure and large-scale developments allows the firm to incorporate environmental design considerations into complex building projects.
5. Ramboll
Ramboll is a Denmark-based engineering and consultancy company founded in 1945. The firm operates internationally across sectors including buildings, infrastructure, environment, and energy.
Ramboll provides sustainability consulting services that support green building certification programs, including LEED. Its expertise includes energy modeling, carbon reduction strategies, environmental impact assessments, and sustainable building design.
These services allow project teams to evaluate building performance and implement strategies aimed at reducing environmental impacts and improving energy efficiency.
Ramboll works with architects, developers, and engineers to integrate sustainability considerations throughout the building lifecycle.
6. Linesight
Linesight is a global construction consultancy founded in 1976 in Ireland. The company focuses on project management, cost management, and construction advisory services for large development projects.
Although Linesight primarily specializes in project delivery and cost control, the firm frequently participates in projects pursuing sustainability certifications such as LEED.
Linesight supports project teams by ensuring that construction planning, procurement strategies, and project coordination align with sustainability objectives and certification requirements.
Through its involvement in complex developments, the firm contributes to the successful implementation of sustainability goals during the construction phase.
7. AtkinsRéalis
AtkinsRéalis, formerly known as SNC-Lavalin, is a global engineering and consulting organization headquartered in Canada. The company provides services across infrastructure, engineering design, environmental consulting, and project management.
The firm offers sustainability consulting services that support LEED certification, including energy performance analysis, environmental strategy development, and sustainability reporting.
These services help project teams integrate sustainability considerations into building design and infrastructure projects.
AtkinsRéalis works with developers, architects, and public sector organizations to support projects pursuing environmental performance improvements and green building certification.
Summary
LEED certification is widely used to evaluate the environmental performance of buildings, focusing on factors such as energy efficiency, water management, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. As sustainable construction practices continue to grow, more projects pursue LEED certification to demonstrate environmental responsibility and improved 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 organizations focus primarily on sustainability consulting, while others integrate these services within broader engineering and project advisory practices.
Companies discussed in this article include 1. ERKE Consultancy 2. ARUP 3. WSP Global 4. Khatib & Alami 5. Ramboll 6. Linesight 7. AtkinsRéalis. These firms represent a mix of green building specialists and multidisciplinary consulting organizations involved in sustainable building projects.
The appropriate consultancy partner generally depends on project scale, sustainability objectives, certification requirements, and the expertise needed within the project team.