Many real estate developers in India are taking to low-carbon housing projects in response to the UK-based Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) call for an integrated approach between the building control and planning systems to monitor and enforce carbon compliance and drive standards. Developers in India can now approach Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), the Indian counterpart of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for certification.
Over 100 million sq ft being developed
Already 50 green building have been constructed and over 100 million sq ft is being developed for this purpose, with plans to complete them in the next three-four years. Households in India account for only 8% of total carbon emissions, and sustainable buildings are estimated to reduce energy consumption by nearly 40 percent.
Conscious efforts are being made to adopt greener building technologies to minimize carbon footprint. Environment-friendly features such as rainwater harvesting, sewage treatment plants and harvesting solar energy are also being incorporated.
Higher initial costs
Initial costs for these green projects is higher but energy savings and lower operational and maintenance costs help recover the extra initial investment over a period of two to three years. As green buildings have the potential to reduce 40% in energy consumption, operational costs can be reduced by 25-30%.
Recycling flush water for gardening saves on the water bills over time. Features like double-glass windows can actually save up to 50% in maintenance cost of an air-conditioned commercial or retail development. Solar water heating saves money which would otherwise have been spent in electric geysers.
Many major developers absorb the extra costs to offer buyers homes at standard market prices. Over and above all the other benefits, green housing can enhance occupants’ health, happiness and well being.
See video on how the Green Business Centre in Hyderabad, India, was designed to be one of the greenest buildings in the world.
