The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has achieved LEED Gold certification for its Headquarters New Gate Pavilion in Rome, recognizing the project's high standards of sustainability, environmental performance and design.
"The FAO East Gate project is a perfect blend of East and West, yin and yang, science and art, peace and harmony, with towering ancient trees, beautiful and elegant. It has won the prestigious Gold recognition, which is well-deserved and worthy of celebration," FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said.
The certification was awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) under the LEED v4 Building Design and Construction (BD+C): New Construction rating system. The FAO project achieved a total of 69 points, qualifying it for Gold certification.
LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - is one of the world's most widely recognized green building rating systems and provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings.
"LEED certification identifies FAO Headquarters New Gate Pavilion as a showcase example of sustainability and demonstrates your leadership in transforming the building industry," said Peter Templeton, President and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council, in a letter dated 27 August 2026 congratulating FAO on the achievement.
The New Gate Pavilion forms part of a broader project to upgrade the eastern entrance to FAO Headquarters. The works include the new entrance and security screening facilities, a three-storey parking garage and improvements to the surrounding environment, as well as the renovation of the front garden. Particular attention was given to integrating the new structures and landscaping with the historic and cultural setting surrounding FAO Headquarters.
The project combines practical improvements to access, security and the working environment with an approach that emphasizes sustainability, landscaping and architectural harmony.
The LEED Gold certification reflects FAO's wider commitment to sustainability and to applying environmental considerations not only through its work supporting the transformation of agrifood systems worldwide, but also in the management and improvement of its own facilities.
The New Gate Pavilion project also contributes to the continuing modernization of FAO Headquarters, while respecting the architectural, historical and cultural character of its location in the heart of Rome.
