SONGDO, South Korea—New York developer Gale International and partners say that the Songdo International Business District has achieved a total of 19.5 million square feet of LEED certified space, making it one of the world's most ambitious LEED developments. Songdo IBD, a 1,500-acre new city on the coast of Incheon, South Korea, is setting new standards for sustainable urban development in Asia and worldwide, the group says.

Songdo IBD is a joint venture between Gale International and Korean construction firm POSCO E&C, under the governance of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority. The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building program is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings.

The 19.5 million SF (1.8 million SM)) figure represents 12 projects comprising 106 buildings (71 residential, 27 retail and 8 commercial). The most recent Songdo project to gain certification is the 68-story Northeast Asia Trade Tower (NEATT), which achieved LEED Silver. The landmark NEATT at 305 meters (1,001 feet) is the tallest building in Korea and was designed by internationally renowned firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates.