This paper presents a description of Green Building and Sustainability in construction, covering its concepts and characteristics for a better understanding of the certification process. Buildings consume different types of materials and use lots of energy and water. This is important to have processes that are based on the economy of natural resources, and its rational use. The process of environmental certification of buildings, contributes to minimize environmental impacts using, in a more conscious way, natural resources, bringing many benefits, presented later in this paper. This work introduces the concepts of environmental certification in construction, the importance and the benefits that consider the environment by applying concepts of sustainability before making a critical analysis between two certification processes, the Leadership in Energy Environmental Design (LEED) created by the United States and Haute Qualite Environnementale (HQE) created in France. After most, the methodologies for application will be listed, as will the phases in which they operate during the life cycle of an enterprise and their benefits. This paper also consists in a case study for LEED and HQE certification, both with site visit, in order to view the main constraints and practical applications.