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The Gold and Platinum rating ofDavid L. Lawrence Convention Centerin Pittsburgh, is the
first convention center in the world to have such certifications.[1]
1225 Connecticut Avenue, inWashington, D.C., is the first redeveloped office building on
the U.S. East Coast to receive LEED Platinum status.[2]
Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh has multiple LEED certifications,
including the world's only Platinum-certified greenhouse[3] and a Platinum-certified and netzero energy Center for Sustainable Landscapes.[4]
The University of Texas at DallasStudent Services Building is the first academic building
in Texas to receive LEED Platinum status.[5]
Shearer's Foods plant in Massillon, Ohio is the first food manufacturing plant to receive
LEED Platinum status.[6]
Grapevines and photovoltaic panels(r.) rely on the sun at Cooper Vineyardsin Louisa,
Virginia, the first winery on the East Coast and the second in the country awarded the fourth
and highest, Platinum certification by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED)
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a set of rating systems for the
design, construction, operation, and maintenance of green buildings, homes, and
neighborhoods.[7]
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED helps building owners and
operators be environmentally responsible and use resources efficiently. Proposals to modify
the LEED standards are offered and publicly reviewed by USGBC's member organizations,
which number almost 20,000.[citation needed]
Unlike model building codes, such as the International Building Code, only members of the
USGBC and specific "in-house" committees may add, subtract, or edit the standard, subject
to an internal review process. Model Building Codes are voted on by members and "inhouse" committees, but allow for comments and testimony from the general public during
each and every code development cycle at Public Review hearings, generally held multiple
times a year.[8]
From 1994 to 2006, LEED grew from one standard for new construction to a comprehensive
system of interrelated standards covering all aspects of the development and construction
process. LEED also has grown from six volunteers on one committee to more than 200
volunteers on nearly 20 committees and nearly 150 professional staff. [9] LEED standards
have been applied to more than 7,000 projects in the United States and 30 countries,
covering more than 1.5 billion square feet (140 km) .[10]
Many U.S. federal agencies and state and local governments require or reward LEED
certification. However, four states (Alabama, Georgia, Maine, and Mississippi) have
effectively banned the use of LEED in new public buildings, preferring other industry
standards that the USGBC considers too lax.[11]
USGBC's Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) offers various accreditations to people
who demonstrate knowledge of the LEED rating system, including LEED Accredited
Professional (LEED AP), LEED Green Associate,[12] and since 2011, LEED Fellows, the
highest designation for LEED professionals. GBCI also certifies projects pursuing LEED.
Contents
[hide]
1 Rating systems
1.1 LEED 2009
1.1.3 Prerequisites
1.3 Process
3 Professional accreditation
5 Incentive programs
7 See also
8 References
9 External links
Rating systems[edit]
LEED has evolved since 1998 to more accurately represent and incorporate emerging green
building technologies. The pilot version, LEED New Construction (NC) v1.0, led to LEED
NCv2.0, LEED NCv2.2 in 2005, and LEED 2009 (previously named LEEDv3) in 2009.
LEEDv4 was introduced in November, 2013. Until October 31, 2016, new projects may
choose between LEED 2009 and LEEDv4. New projects registering after October 31, 2016
must use LEEDv4.[13]
LEED 2009 encompasses nine rating systems for the design, construction and operation of
buildings, homes and neighborhoods.[7] Five overarching categories correspond to the
specialties available under the LEED Accredited Professional program. That suite currently
consists of:
Green Building Design & Construction
LEED for Homes (The LEED for Homes rating system is different from LEED v3, with
different point categories and thresholds that reward efficient residential design. [citation needed])
LEED also forms the basis for other sustainability rating systems such as the Environmental
Protection Agency's Labs21.
To make it easier to follow LEED requirements, in 2009 USGBC helped BuildingGreen
develop LEEDuser, a guide to the LEED certification process and applying for LEED credits
written by professionals in the field.[14]
LEED 2009[edit]
Abad Nucleus Mall, at Maradu,Kochi, is India's first LEED certified gold-rated green mall.
Taipei 101, the tallest and largest green building of LEED Platinum certification in the world
since 2011.
After four years of development, aligning credits across all LEED rating systems and
weighting credits based on environmental priority, USGBC launched LEED v3, [15] which
consists of a new continuous development process, a new version of LEED Online, a revised
third-party certification program and a new suite of rating systems known as LEED 2009.
Under LEED 2009, there are 100 possible base points distributed across six credit
categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and
Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, Innovation in Design. Up to 10 additional points
may be earned: four additional points may be received for Regional Priority Credits, and six
additional points for Innovation in Design (which includes exemplary performance credits for
existing credit categories).
Certification level[edit]
Buildings can qualify for four levels of certification:
Prerequisites[edit]
To participate in LEED 2009, a building must comply with environmental laws and
regulations, occupancy scenarios, building permanence and pre-rating completion, site
boundaries and area-to-site ratios. Its owner must share data on the building's energy and
water use for five years after occupancy (for new construction) or date of certification (for
existing buildings).[17]
Each of the performance categories also have mandatory measures in each category, which
receive no points.
LEED Canada[edit]
In 2003, the Canada Green Building Council received permission to create LEED CanadaNC v1.0, which was based upon LEED-NC 2.0.[20][21]
Process[edit]
LEED certification is granted by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), which
handles the third-party verification of a project's compliance with the LEED requirements.
The certification process for design teams is made up of two consecutive applications: one
including design credits, and one including construction credits. All of the LEED credits in
each rating system are assigned to either the design application or the construction
application. The design credits include those that are the purview of the architect and the
engineer, and are documented in the official construction drawings. The construction credits
include those that are predominantly under the purview of the contractor, and are
documented during the construction and commissioning of the building.
A fee is required to register the building, and to submit the design and construction
applications. Total fees are assessed based on building area. Fees range from a minimum of
$2,900 to over $1 million for a large project.[22] "Soft" costs, i.e., added costs to the building
project to quality for LEED certification, range from 1% to 6% of the total project cost. The
average cost increase was about 2%, or an extra $3$5 per square foot. [23]
The application review and certification process is handled on LEED Online, USGBC's webbased service that employs a series of active PDF forms to allow project teams to fill out
credit forms and upload supporting documentation online. The GBCI also utilizes LEED
Online to conduct their reviews.
LEED Performance[edit]
Research papers provide most of what is known about the performance and effectiveness of
LEED in two credit category areas energy and indoor environment quality. In one study of
953 NYC office buildings, 21 LEED certified buildings collectively showed no energy savings
compared with non-LEED buildings, although LEED Gold buildings "outperformed other NYC
office buildings by 20%".[30] IEQ-related studies provide two contrasting results - the first used
occupant survey results in 65 LEED buildings and 79 non-LEED buildings and it concluded
that occupants of LEED certified buildings have equal satisfaction with the building overall
and with the workspace than occupants of non-LEED rated buildings [31] and the second used
occupant interviews and physical site measurements at 12 LEED buildings to report superior
indoor environment performance compared with similar 12 conventional buildings (nonLEED).[32] Buildings certified under LEED do not have to prove energy or water efficiency in
practice to receive LEED certification points, but instead LEED uses modeling software to
predict future energy use based on intended use. This has led to criticism of LEEDs ability to
accurately determine the efficiency of buildings. The USGBC itself says that, Buildings have
a poor track record for performing as predicted during design.[24]
average, 20% less source energy than did conventional buildings. Buildings with LEED
Silver or LEED Certified ratings actually used 11 to 15% more source energy, on average,
than did their conventional counterparts.[30]
A key element missing in studies that compare the energy efficiency of LEED buildings with
other buildings is the occupant density and plug load differences. Many new buildings are
designed to accommodate more occupants, for instance with smaller offices for employees.
This has a clear energy efficiency benefit, as less lighting and heating is required for a larger
number of occupants, but leads to an increase in plug load (e.g., More computers are
plugged in per floor, as there are more offices per floor). Controlling for the number of
occupants in LEED vs non-LEED buildings would provide a more accurate comparison and
would provide additional insight for policy makers.
The Canada Green Building Council provides an online directory[45] of LEED Canada-certified
projects.
In 2012 the USGBC launched GBIG, the Green Building Information Gateway,[46] in an effort
to connect green building efforts and projects from all over the world. It provides searchable
access to a database of activities, buildings, places and collections of green building-related
information from many sources and programs, as well as, specifically provides information
about LEED projects.
Professional accreditation[edit]
The Green Building Certification Institute describes Professional Accreditation as follows:
"LEED Professional Credentials demonstrate current knowledge of green building
technologies, best practices, and the rapidly evolving LEED Rating Systems. They show
differentiation in a growing and competitive industry, and they allow for varied levels of
specialization. A LEED Professional Credential provides employers, policymakers, and other
stakeholders with assurances of an individual's level of competence and is the mark of the
Real estate developers have begun to use LEED certification and a building's green status
as selling points
LEED certified buildings are intended to use resources more efficiently when compared to
conventional buildings simply built to code. However, analysis of energy and water use data
from New York City shows that LEED certification does not necessarily make a building more
energy or water efficient.[49]
Often, when a LEED rating is pursued, the cost of initial design and construction rises. There
may be a lack of abundant availability of manufactured building components that meet LEED
specifications. Pursuing LEED certification for a project is an added cost in itself as well. This
added cost comes in the form of USGBC correspondence, LEED design-aide consultants,
and the hiring of the requiredCommissioning Authority (CxA)all of which would not
necessarily be included in an environmentally responsible project, unless it also sought a
LEED rating.[citation needed]
However, these higher initial costs can be effectively mitigated by the savings incurred over
time due to the lower-than-industry-standard operational costs typical of a LEED certified
building. This Life cycle costing is a method for assessing the total cost of ownership, taking
into account all costs of acquiring, owning and operating, and the eventual disposal of a
building. Additional economic payback may come in the form of employee productivity gains
incurred as a result of working in a healthier environment. Studies suggest that an initial upfront investment of 2% extra yields over ten times that initial investment over the life cycle of
the building.[50]
Further, the USGBC has stated support for the Architecture 2030, an effort that has set a
goal of using no fossil-fuel, greenhouse-gas-emitting energy to operate by 2030. [51]
In the progression of sustainable design from simply meeting local buildings codes to
USGBC LEED[52] (Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum) to the Architecture 2030 Challenge,
[53]
the Living Building Challenge is currently the most stringent sustainable design protocol.
The LBC[54] sets 20 imperatives that compel building owners, designers, operators and
tenants beyond current USGBC[55] LEED rating levels.
LEED is a design tool and not a performance measurement tool. It is also not yet climatespecific, although the newest version hopes to address this weakness partially. Because of
this, designers may make materials or design choices that garner a LEED point, even though
they may not be the most site- or climate-appropriate choice available. On top of this, LEED
is also not energy-specific. Since it only measures the overall performances, builders are
free to choose how to achieve points under various categories. A USA TODAY review
showed that 7,100 certified commercial building projects targeted easy and cheap green
points, such as creating healthy spaces and providing educational displays in the building.
[56]
Few builders would really adopt renewable energy because the generators for those
energy resources, such as solar photovoltaic, are costly. Builders game the rating system
and use certain performances to compensate for the others, making energy conservation the
weakest part in the overall evaluation.
LEED is a measurement tool for green building in the United States and it is developed and
continuously modified by workers in the green building industry, especially in the ten largest
metro areas in the U.S.; however, LEED certified buildings have been slower to penetrate
small and mid-major markets.[57] Also, some criticism suggests that the LEED rating system is
not sensitive and does not vary enough with regard to local environmental conditions. For
instance, a building in Maine would receive the same credit as a building in Arizona for water
conservation, though the principle is more important in the latter case. Another complaint is
that its certification costs require money that could be used to make the building in question
even more sustainable. Many critics have noted that compliance and certification costs have
grown faster than staff support from the USGBC.
For existing buildings LEED has developed LEED-EB. Research has demonstrated that
buildings that can achieve LEED-EB equivalencies can generate a tremendous ROI [citation needed].
In a 2008 white paper by the Leonardo Academy comparing LEED-EB buildings vs. data
from BOMA's Experience Exchange Report 2007 demonstrated LEED-EB certified buildings
achieved superior operating cost savings in 63% of the buildings surveyed ranging from
$4.94 to $15.59 per square foot of floor space, with an average valuation of $6.68 and a
median valuation of $6.07.[58]
In addition the overall cost of LEED-EB implementation and certification ranged from $0.00
to $6.46 per square foot of floor space, with an average of $2.43 per square foot
demonstrating that implementation is not expensive, especially in comparison to cost
savings. These costs should be significantly reduced if automation and technology are
integrated into the implementation.[59]
Incentive programs[edit]
Many federal, state, and local governments and school districts have adopted various types
of LEED initiatives and incentives. A full listing of government and school LEED initiatives
can be found online[60] and is updated regularly.
Some areas have implemented or are considering incentives for LEED-certified buildings.
The city of Cincinnati, Ohio adopted a measure providing an automatic 100% real property
tax exemption of the assessed property value for newly constructed or rehabilitated
commercial or residential properties that earn a minimum of LEED Certified. [61]
In the state of Nevada construction materials for a qualifying LEED building are exempt from
local taxes. Pieces of construction that are deemed "inseparable" parts, such
asconcrete or drywall, qualify.[62]
The state of Maryland passed its High Performance Buildings Act in 2008, requiring all new
public construction and renovation of buildings greater than 7,500 square feet to meet at
least the LEED Silver standard, or two Green Globes. Between 2009 and 2014, the state is
required to fund half of the required additional cost for public school construction or
renovation to attain that standard.[63]
The state of Michigan is considering tax-based incentives for LEED buildings.[64]
Many local governments have adopted LEED incentive programs. Program incentives
include tax credits, tax breaks, density bonuses, reduced fees, priority or expedited
permitting, free or reduced-cost technical assistance, grants and low-interest loans. [65][66]
In June 2013, the USGBC announced a program called LEED Earth that refunds LEED
certification fees to the first LEED-certified project in the countries that so far lack one. [67][68]
Around 20092010, the Empire State Building was undergoing a $550 million renovation,
with $120 million spent in an effort to transform the building into a more energy efficient and
eco-friendly structure.[76] Receiving a gold LEED rating in September 2011, the Empire State
Building was at the time the tallest LEED-certified building in the United States. [77]
The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens Bosarge Family Education Center completed in 2011
achieved LEED Platinum certification and has become known as Maine's "greenest
building."[78]
In May 2012, Soldier Field in Chicago became the first National Football League stadium
certified LEED.[79]
In July 2014, Levi's Stadium in San Francisco became he the first venue in the United
States to earn a LEED Gold certification. With the San Francisco 49ers building the most
environmentally-friendly stadium it has set the bar and expectations for NFL teams building
future stadiums. The Minnesota Vikings look to match and exceed the expectations set by
the 49ers when they open U.S. Bank Stadium in 2016.
The Cashman Equipment building is the first construction equipment dealership to receive
LEED certification. It is the largest LEED industrial complex in Nevada. Caterpillarcorporate
has rewritten their development guidelines for new facilities based on this building. [80]
The Letterman Digital Arts Center in San Francisco's Presidio, the headquarters for
various Lucasfilm companies, including visual effects house Industrial Light and Magic,
earned a Gold certification. It was built almost entirely from the recycled remains of the
building it replaced, the Letterman Army Hospital.[81][82]
The Cuyahoga County Public Library system is building newer branches so that they could
be LEED Certified. In the construction of the Garfield Heights, Ohio new branch, the library
used green materials, the lighting of Garfield Heights Branch lightens or dims when there is
ample daylight. The glass windows have light sensors that work with lights inside the library.
Also, the library uses a raised floor and has recyclable carpet tiles.
Opening in September 2012, Siemens' The Crystal became the world's first building awarded
LEED Platinum and BREEAM Outstanding status.[83] Generating its own energy, using solar
power and ground source heat pumps, no fossil fuels are burnt within the building. Its
extensive use of KNX technologies to automate the building's environmental controls has set
the benchmark for sustainable buildings.[84]
When it received LEED Platinum in 2012, Manitoba Hydro Place in
downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba was the most energy efficient office tower in North America
and the only office tower in Canada to receive the Platinum rating. The office tower employs
south facing winter gardens to capture the maximum amount of solar energy during the
harsh Manitoba winters, and uses glass extensively to maximise natural light. [85]
construction of high performance green buildings. This ensures the buildings are
environmentally compatible, provide a healthy work environment and are profitable.
LEED certified buildings are commanding higher rental rates and great occupancy than
the non-green buildings. This trend cannot help but impact the Investment community.
The supply while gradually increasing is not keeping up with the demand for green
buildings. LEED New Construction buildings are awarded points for sustainability for
things like energy-efficient lighting, low-flow plumbing fixtures and collection of water to
name a few.
Recycled construction materials and energy efficient appliances also impact the point
rating system. In the political climate of today's world, as the earth's natural resources
are being depleted at an alarming rate the construction industry is being compelled to
look at alternatives to traditional construction materials and styles.
More and more legislation is being passed that impacts not only zoning but
environmental impact for new construction. LEED New Construction certification and
Energy Star ratings seem to be the future of construction projects. It's important to not
only build beautiful buildings but buildings that are energy efficient, healthy for their
occupants to exist within and that they not harm the environment.
Those of us who populate those buildings can feel good about the part we are doing to
help the environment and preserve what is left of the environment after years and years
of taking natural resources for granted. Green technology as it continues to catch on will
generate additional jobs and challenge conventional wisdoms. Look what happened in
the auto industry with the electric cars. It didn't really catch on despite the fact that many
who had the opportunity to test drive them wanted to keep them. Instead they were
basically scrapped because of big business. Now we have hybrids and more and more
companies are looking for ways to create cars that are more environmentally friendly.
Interest in green technology will stimulate job-market growth, and open up new business
venues as it continues to catch on. Just like any other market, competition is healthy and
a monopoly is not. Increasing public awareness is crucial to the continued expansion of
LEED New Construction certification and the advancement of green technology in
construction projects.
So in summary, what is the impact of LEED New Construction?
LEED New Construction buildings rent for a higher dollar amount per square feet
than non-LEED certified buildings.
Market demand for LEED New Construction buildings is higher than for nonLEED certified buildings
of municipal water is consumed in and around buildings. Its clear that making
buildings greener can have a significant impact on larger environmental goals.
LEED works because it recognizes that sustainability should be at the heart of all
buildings in their design, construction and operation. Since 2004, the CaGBC
has certified over 1800 LEED buildings in Canada and registered over 5000, the
second highest number in the world.
project. Still curious about what LEED is or why you should use
it? Learn more in the LEED digital marketing brochure.
About GRIHA
GRIHA is an acronym for Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment. GRIHA is
a Sanskrit word meaning Abode. Human Habitats (buildings) interact with the
environment in various ways. Throughout their life cycles, from construction to
operation and then demolition, they consume resources in the form of energy, water,
materials, etc. and emit wastes either directly in the form of municipal wastes or
indirectly as emissions from electricity generation. GRIHA attempts to minimize a
buildings resource consumption, waste generation, and overall ecological impact to
within certain nationally acceptable limits / benchmarks.
Going by the old adage what gets measured, gets managed, GRIHA attempts to
quantify aspects such as energy consumption, waste generation, renewable energy
adoption, etc. so as to manage, control and reduce the same to the best possible
extent.
GRIHA is a rating tool that helps people assesses the performance of their building
against certain nationally acceptable benchmarks. It evaluates the environmental
performance of a building holistically over its entire life cycle, thereby providing a
definitive standard for what constitutes a green building. The rating system, based
on accepted energy and environmental principles, will seek to strike a balance
between the established practices and emerging concepts, both national and
international.
Evolution of GRIHA
The rapid increase in Indian population and growth of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
has given rise to an enormous demand for buildings with a subsequent pressure on
This tool has been adopted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. This tool,
by its qualitative and quantitative assessment criteria, is able to rate a building on
the degree of its 'greenness'.
located, the flora and fauna on the land before construction activity
starts, the natural landscape and land features).
The benefits
On a broader scale, this system, along with the activities and processes that lead up
to it, will benefit the community at large with the improvement in the environment
by reducing GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, reducing energy consumption and the
stress on natural resources.
Some of the benefits of a green design to a building owner, user, and the society as a
whole are as follows:
LEED Buildings
Wipro
Technologies,
Gurgaon
Wipro Campus, Gurgaon is a Platinum Rated LEED certified Green Building by IGBC
(under the umbrella of USGBC). The main focus of the design is the inverted cone,
strategically located at the cross junction of two roads to give visibility to the building. A key
highlight of the building is a controlled, open to sky landscape courtyard that will contribute
towards keeping the building cool during summers. All open office spaces overlook the
courtyard, thus allowing good access to daylight.
The Wipro Campus is an exemplary energy efficient building. Notable features include - a
reduced overall conductance for the envelops, terrace gardens, high performance grass with
optimum visual light transmittance, exterior light shelves and over hangs for all windows,
efficient chillers, efficient lighting using lamps and ample daylight spaces with photo sensor
controls.
Green
Boulevard,
Noida
Green Boulevard is the World's Largest Platinum rated LEED certified Green Building
from USGBC (United States Green Building Council) in Shell & Core Category . The Building is
a multi-tenant project that is based around the concept of creating a congenial campus like
environment, where every tenant can share common areas, facilities and still retain their
privacy.
Strategically located in sector 62- Noida, the towers are designed around shaded landscape
courts with water bodies & plants, which helps to reduce the ambient temperature. The
building depth has been optimized to capture daylight and to maximize views. The stilted
public realms on the lower floors consist of an amphitheatre, a gym, a cafeteria and shops,
helping to form an area of common interests.
Wipro
Campus,
Greater
Noida
Wipro Campus Greater Noida is a Gold rated LEED certified Green Building by
IGBC (Indian Green Building Council, under the umbrella of USGBC) in New Construction
Category.
This project has been designed to provide an interactive campus environment in a tranquil
setting. The activity hub with common facilities like recreation, cafeteria and sports centre is
planned along the central axis with software office blocks on either side of the axis. The
reception, library & rejuvenation areas are curvilinear in stark contrast to the efficient, straight
and rectangular forms of the office blocks.
The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), part of the Confederation of Indian
Industry (CII) was formed in the year 2001. The vision of the council is, "To
enable a sustainable built environment for all and facilitate India to be one of
the global leaders in the sustainable built environment by 2025".
The council offers a wide array of services which include developing new
green building rating programmes, certification services and green building
training programmes. The council also organises Green Building Congress, its
annual flagship event on green buildings.
The council is committee-based, member-driven and consensus-focused. All
the stakeholders of construction industry comprising of architects,
developers, product manufacturers, corporate, Government, academia and
nodal agencies participate in the council activities through local chapters. The
GRIHA, an acronym for Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment, is the
National Rating System of India. GRIHA is a Sanskrit word meaning Abode.
Human Habitats (Buildings) interact with the environment in various ways.
Throughout their life cycles, from construction to operation and then demolition, they
consume resources in the form of energy, water, materials, etc. and emit wastes
either directly in the form of municipal wastes or indirectly as emissions from
electricity generation. GRIHA attempts to minimize a buildings resource
consumption, waste generation, and overall ecological impact to within certain
nationally acceptable limits / benchmarks.
GRIHA attempts to quantify aspects such as energy consumption, waste generation,
renewable energy adoption, etc. so as to manage, control and reduce the same to
the best possible extent.
GRIHA is a rating tool that helps people assess the performance of their building
against certain nationally acceptable benchmarks. It will evaluate the environmental
performance of a building holistically over its entire life cycle, thereby providing a
definitive standard for what constitutes a green building. The rating system, based
on accepted energy and environmental principles, will seek to strike a balance
between the established practices and emerging concepts, both national and
international. The guidelines/criteria appraisal may be revised every three years to
take into account the latest scientific developments during this period.
The Context and Development
Internationally, voluntary building rating systems have been instrumental in raising
awareness and popularizing green design. However, most of the rating systems
devised have been tailored to suit the building industry of the country where they
were developed.
TERI took the responsibility of popularizing green building by developing a tool for
measuring and rating a building's environmental performance in the context of India's
varied climate and building practices.
This tool has been adopted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. This
tool, by its qualitative and quantitative assessment criteria, is able to rate a building
on the degree of its greenness. The rating would be applied to new building stock of
varied functions commercial, institutional, and residential.
The challenges
The Indian building industry is highly de-centralized with people and/ or groups
engaged in design, construction, equipment provision, installation, and renovation
working together. Each group may be organized to some extent, but there is limited
interaction among the groups, thus disabling the integrated green design and
application process.
Hence, it is very important to define and quantify sustainable building practices and
their benefits. It is also important to separate the role of different participants in
ensuring that the building consumes minimal resources over its entire life cycle and
leaves behind a minimal environmental footprint.
Basic features
The system has been developed to help design and evaluate new buildings
(buildings that are still at the inception stages). A building is assessed based on its
predicted performance over its entire life cycle inception through operation. The
stages of the life cycle that have been identified for evaluation are:
The benefits
On a broader scale, this system, along with the activities and processes that lead up
to it, will benefit the community at large with the improvement in the environment by
reducing GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, reducing energy consumption and the
stress on natural resources.
Some of the benefits of a green design to a building owner, user, and the society as
a whole are as follows:
Rating System
GRIHA rating system consists of 34 criteria categorized under various sections such
as Site Selection and Site Planning, Conservation and efficient utilization of
resources, Building operation and maintenance, and Innovation points. Eight of
these 34 criteria are mandatory, four are partly mandatory, while the rest are
optional. Each criterion has a number of points assigned to it. It means that a project
intending to meet the criterion would qualify for the points. Different levels of
certification (one star to five stars) are awarded based on the number of points
earned. The minimum points required for certification is 50.
The criteria have been categorised as follows:
1. Site planning
A) Conservation and efficient utilization of resources
Objective:
To maximize the conservation and utilisation of resources (land, water, natural
habitat, avi fauna, and energy) conservation and enhance efficiency of the systems
and operations.
Criteria 1: Site Selection:
Commitment:
Site plan should be in conformity to the Development Plan/Master Plan/UDPFI
guidelines (mandatory). Site should be located within km radius of an existing or
planned and funded bus stops, commuter rail, light rail or metro station or the
proposed site is a brownfield site (to rehabilitate damaged sites where development
Commitment:
Minimize storm water run-off from site by reducing hard paving on site.
POINTS: 2 [Partly Mandatory]
Criteria 6: Enhance outdoor lighting system efficiency.
Commitment:
Meet minimum allowable luminous efficacy (as per lamp type) and make progressive
use of a renewable energy -based lighting system.
POINTS: 3
Criteria 7: Plan utilities efficiently and optimize on-site circulation efficiency.
Commitment:
Minimize road and pedestrian walkway length by appropriate planning and provide
aggregate corridors for utility lines.
POINTS: 3
B) Health and well being
Objectives:
To protect the health of construction workers and prevent pollution.
Criterion 8: Provide at least, the minimum level of sanitation/safety facilities for
construction workers.
Commitment:
Ensure cleanliness of workplace with regard to the disposal of waste and effluent,
provide clean drinking water and latrines and urinals as per applicable standard.
POINTS: 2 [Mandatory]
Criterion 9: Reduce air pollution during construction.
Commitment:
Ensure proper screening, covering stockpiles, covering brick and loads of dusty
materials, wheel-washing facility, and water spraying.
POINTS: 2 [Mandatory]
Commitment:
Use of fly ash for RCC (reinforced cement concrete) structures with in-fill walls and
load bearing structures, mortar, and binders.
POINTS: 6
Criterion 16: Reduce volume, weight, and time of construction by adopting an
efficient technology (e.g. pre-cast systems, ready-mix concrete, etc.).
Commitment:
Replace a part of the energy-intensive materials with less energy intensive materials
and/or utilize regionally available materials, which use low energy/energy-efficient
technologies.
POINTS: 4
Criterion 17: Use low-energy material in the interiors.
Commitment:
Minimum 70% in each of the three categories of interiors (internal
partitions, panelling / false ceiling / interior wood finishes / in-built furniture door /
window frames, flooring) from low energy materials/finishes to minimize the usage of
wood.
POINTS: 4
Energy: renewable
Criterion 18: Renewable energy utilization.
Commitment:
Mandatory provide renewable energy system with capacity equivalent to 1% of
connected load for lighting and space conditioning. Meet energy requirements for a
minimum of 5% of the internal lighting load (for general lighting) or its equivalent from
renewable energy sources (solar, wind, biomass, fuel cells, etc). Energy
requirements will be calculated based on realistic assumptions which will be subject
to verification during appraisal.
POINTS: 5 [Partly Mandatory]
Criterion 19: Renewable energy - based hot- water system.
Commitment:
Meet 20% or more of the annual energy required for heating water through
renewable energy based water-heating systems.
POINTS: 3
B) Recycle, recharge, and reuse of water
Objective:
To promote the recycle and reuse of water.
Criterion 20: Waste- water treatment
Commitment:
Provide necessary treatment of water for achieving the desired concentration of
effluents.
POINTS: 2
Criterion 21: Water recycle and reuse (including rainwater).
Commitment:
Provide wastewater treatment on-site for achieving prescribed concentration,
rainwater harvesting, reuse of treated waste water and rainwater for meeting the
buildings water and irrigation demand.
POINTS: 5
C. Waste management
Criterion 22: Reduction in waste during construction.
Commitment:
Ensure maximum resource recovery and safe disposal of wastes generated during
construction and reduce the burden on landfill.
POINTS: 2
Criterion 23: Efficient waste segregation.
Commitment:
Use different coloured bins for collecting different categories of waste from the
building.
POINTS: 2
Criterion 24: Storage and disposal of waste.
Commitment:
Allocate separate space for the collected waste before transferring it to the
recycling/disposal stations.
POINTS: 2
Criterion 25: Resource recovery from waste.
Commitment:
Employ resource recovery systems for biodegradable waste as per the Solid Waste
Management and handling Rules, 2000 of the MoEF. Make arrangements for
recycling of waste through local dealers.
POINTS: 2
D. Health and well-being
Objective:
To ensure healthy indoor air quality, water quality, and noise levels, and reduce the
global warming potential. Use of low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints/
adhesives / sealants.
Criterion 26: Use of low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints/ adhesives /
sealants.
Commitment:
Use only low VOC paints in the interior of the building. Use water based rather
than solvent based sealants and adhesives.
POINTS: 4
Criterion 27: Minimize ozone depleting substances.
Commitment:
Employ 100% zero ODP (ozone depletion potential) insulation; HCFC (hydro
chlorofluorocarbon)/ and CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) free HVAC and refrigeration
equipments and / halon-free fire suppression and fire extinguishing systems.
POINTS: 3 [Mandatory]
Criterion 28: Ensure water quality.
Commitment:
Ensure groundwater and municipal water meet the water quality norms as prescribed
in the Indian Standards for various applications (Indian Standards for drinking [IS
10500-1991], irrigation applications [IS 11624-1986]. In case the water quality cannot
be ensured, provide necessary treatment of raw water for achieving the desired
concentration for various applications.
POINTS: 2 [Mandatory]
Criterion 29: Acceptable outdoor and indoor noise levels.
Commitment:
Ensure outdoor noise level conforms to the Central Pollution Control Board
Environmental StandardsNoise (ambient standards) and indoor noise level
conforms to the National Building Code of India, 2005, Bureau of Indian Standards,
Part 8Building Services; Section 4Acoustics, sound insulation, and noise control.
POINTS: 2
Criterion 30: Tobacco and smoke control.
Commitment:
Zero exposure to tobacco smoke for non-smokers, and exclusive ventilation for
smoking rooms.
POINTS: 1
Criterion 31 Universal accessibility
Commitment:
To ensure accessibility and usability of the building and its facilities by employees,
visitors and clients with disabilities
POINTS: 1
4. Innovation
Criterion 34: Innovation points.
Four innovation points are available under the rating system for adopting criteria
which enhance the green intent of a project, and the applicant can apply for the
bonus points. Some of the probable points, not restricted to the ones enumerated
below, could be
1. Alternative transportation
2. Environmental education
3. Company policy on green supply chain
4. Life cycle cost analysis
5. Any other criteria proposed by applicant
POINTS: 4 [Beyond 100 points]
Scoring points for GRIHA
GRIHA is a guiding and performance-oriented system where points are earned for
meeting the design and performance intent of the criteria. Each criterion has a
number of points assigned to it. It means that a project intending to meet the criterion
would qualify for the points.
GRIHA has a 100 point system consisting of some core points, which are mandatory
to be met while the rest are optional points, which can be earned by complying with
the commitment of the criterion for which the point is allocated. Different levels of
certification (one star to five stars) are awarded based on the number of points
earned. The minimum points required for certification is 50. Buildings scoring 50 to
60 points, 61 to 70 points, 71 to 80 points, and 81 to 90 points will get one star, two
stars, three stars and four stars respectively. A building scoring 91 to 100 points
will get the maximum rating viz. five stars.
Rating
5060
One star
6170
Two stars
7180
Three stars
8190
Four stars
91100
Five stars