CB Bureau Introducing the upgraded Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design 2011 (LEED 2011 for India) rating system for green
buildings, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy Dr Farooq Abdullah made
an appeal for developing new technologies and materials at lower prices so that
green homes become accessible for the common man.
The backdrop is the ongoing
Green Building Congress 2011 (October 20″22) at New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan,
organized by Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) of the Confederation of
Indian Industry (CII).
Abdullah assured that ‘the MNRE will be glad to
cooperate with CII in further accelerating the green building movement in
India.’ The new rating comes into effect immediately, and marks a definite step
ahead in the green building movement.
Noting that there is international acceptance of the
work being done in India, Dr Prem C Jain, chairman, IGBC, stressed that much
more needed to be done. ‘Projected build for the year 2030 is 100 billion sq.
ft, up from 20 billion sq. ft in 2005. We must do it the green way right from
the start.’ The projected market potential for green building material and
technologies is estimated to be 100 billion USD by the year 2012.
In his address, George Sandy Diehl, chairman, American
Architectural Foundation, said that new solutions were coming out every day but
energy consumption in buildings could be reduced by as much as 50 per cent by
simply using known technologies.
Mr Jamshyd N Godrej, past president, CII, and chairman,
CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre, said the green building movement
needs to be seen in the context of the overall response to climate change and
the challenges in energy security. Advocating the need for the co-existence of
different rating systems, he said, ‘The aim should be to enhance building
efficiency and make every building a green building.’
At a session today, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Tejendra
Khanna identified the strengthening of weak buildings as a major challenge and
sought help of the private sector in retrofitting of old and weak buildings in
the city. Focusing on various issues related to construction of buildings in
the city, Khanna said that the Delhi government might consider incentives for
green buildings so as to encourage more energy-efficient buildings and homes.
He also appreciated a suggestion on allowing extra
floor area ratio (FAR) for green buildings. ‘The suggestion on extra FAR for
green buildings is a timely suggestion as the mid-term review of the 2021 Delhi
master plan is currently underway, and we shall certainly consider it,’ he
said.