Green buildings may cost marginally higher than normal ones. But corporate India is waking up to their benefits, including significantly lower running costs and a better brand image
Want to shed your energy bill by 40-50% and water bill by 20-30%? You could achieve that and much more by choosing to house your office in a green building.
A green building uses recycled and environment-friendly construction material and is equipped with energy-efficient lighting systems and maximizes natural lighting.
It recycles and manages its own waste particularly through water recycling and treatment and keeps the indoor air free from germs by air quality control. Having a green building not only helps save running costs and the environment but also enhances brand image. So far, such buildings in India include office complexes, IT parks and educational institutions.
The green building movement picked momentum in the last four years with area under eco-friendly construction increasing from a mere 20,000 sq ft in 2003 to over 25 million sq ft currently. CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre (CII-GBC), situated in Hyderabad, was one of the first buildings to receive the Platinum rating from the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) of the US Green Business Council in 2003. The council rates green buildings around the world, and Platinum is its top rating.There are now about 80 such buildings in India including the Hyderabad Institute of Technology and Management, IIT Kanpur’s new building, Hiranandani Gardens in Powai and Paharpur Business Center besides those of corporate majors such as ITC, Wipro, Patni and CSC.
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What is a green building?
Although a fairly new concept in the modern world, green buildings have been part and parcel of Indian architecture for centuries. “If you look at the Haveli design or old forts with shaded corridors and thick walls, most of them were either on the banks of rivers or large lakes or ponds to keep the foundation cool,” says Vidur Bharadwaj, Managing Partner, Design and Development. “In those days, there were no fans or air-conditioners; still people lived happily because of the way the construction was done,” he says. A ‘green’ architect, Bhradwaj has designed several eco-friendly buildings such as the Wipro Centre in Gurgaon and Patni’s and CSC’s offices in Noida.
| DARE/benefits of green building |
| Economic |
| Forms of export |
| • Reduce operating costs • Enhance asset value and profits • Improve employee productivity and satisfaction • Optimize life-cycle economic performance |
| Environmental |
| • Enhance and protect ecosystems and biodiversity • Improve air and water quality • Reduce solid waste • Conserve natural resources |
| Health and community |
| • Improve air, thermal, and acoustic environments • Enhance occupant comfort and health • Minimize strain on local infrastructure • Contribute to overall quality of life Source: US Green Building Council |
Mordern green buildings do much the same things, albeit in a different fashion. For example, take the ITC Green Centre in Gurgaon. Fly ash-based cement has been used to build the ITC Centre, thereby re-using the waste generated by the thermal power industry. The building uses solar heating to provide hot water. Hi-tech chillers are used to minimize the energy intake, and the air-conditioning equipment used is ozone free.
The Paharpur Business Centre & Software Technology Incubator Park (PBC) in Delhi, has also implemented eco-friendly practices so as to qualify for LEED certification. “The business centre conserves energy and water, minimizes use of non-biodegradable substances, promotes toxin-reducing plants to keep the air clean, and uses waste management techniques,” says Kamal Meattle, CEO, PBC. His company is now developing a new ‘green’ 1.7 million sq ft SEZ IT Park – GreenSpaces in the outskirts of Delhi.
Cost Concerns
The cost of developing a green building depends upon a number of factors such as the size of the land, building material, eco-friendly technologies, and the amount of recyclable material used. According to Meattle, “the cost of developing an A class building is about Rs 2,400 a sq ft. A Platinum rated building (green building) costs 10% more.” Says S Srinivas, Principal Counsellor & LEED Accredited Professional at CII, “the cost of developing a green building is 5-8% higher than that of a conventional building. However, the payback time is 3- 5 years.”
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written by Satish, August 24, 2009
written by Amit , August 12, 2008
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