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Relevance of Green Buildings and its Present Practices

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IJED, Vol. 14, No. 2, (December 2017)

RELEVANCE OF GREEN BUILDINGS AND ITS

PRESENT PRACTICES

Viswanadha Kumar Giduthuri and Sumateja Reddy Vanakuru

The growth and development of cities has a large impact on our natural environment in the ways
of design, construction and operational maintenance of the buildings; manufacturing, in which
we live and work are responsible for the consumption of natural resources around. As per the
estimates, existing buildings are responsible for more than 41% of the world’s total primary
energy consumption and 24% of global CO emissions. The conventional buildings use large
2
amounts of energy, land, water, and raw materials for their construction and operation. They
are responsible for large greenhouse gas emissions; emissions of other harmful air pollutants;
generate large amounts of construction and demolition waste and have serious impacts on flora
and fauna. Further, occupant activities generate a large amount of solid and water waste; the
major consumption of energy in the form of lighting, air-conditioning  and water heating systems
that provide comfort. These kinds of waste discharge, large consumption of energy led to global
warming, water, and air pollution. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new constructions with
a common objective to reduce the overall impact on the built environment, human health and
natural environment. In this present instance, this paper discusses on designing of both structure
and its processes that are environmentally responsible, resource-efficient throughout a building’s
life-cycle by illustrating an overview of the concept of green building, its benefits; green certifying
agencies and building rating systems in India in the way of overcome above issues.
Keywords: Evaluation, Environment, Green building, Green rating, Sustainability

1. INTRODUCTION
The growth and development of our communities have a large impact on natural environment
in the way of the manufacturing, design; construction and operational maintenance of the buildings
are directly or indirectly responsible for the consumption of precious natural resources. As per
estimates, the existing buildings are responsible for more than 41% of the world’s total primary
energy consumption and 24% of global CO2 emissions. As per records, worldwide maximum
CO2 emissions per capita recorded as 40 metric tons in Qatar and minimum from Nepal and
Myanmar with 0.2 metric tons (Fig.1), while mentioning percentage of CO 2 emissions country
wise, 30% in China, 10% in EU, 6%in India, 4% in Japan, 5% in Russia and others were
recorded as 30% (Fig.2) [1].
1
Professor of Architecture, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, India, E-mail: giduturi.viswanadh@gmail.com
2
Student of Architecture and IGBC Accredited Professional, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, India, E-mail:
sumatejareddy@gmail.com
260 • Viswanadha Kumar Giduthuri and Sumateja Reddy Vanakuru

Figure 1: Worldwide Per capita CO2 emissions (in metric tons per head)

Figure 2: Country wide CO2 emissions

A major challenge to the environment is the construction sector. Globally, buildings are
responsible for at least 40% of energy use. An estimated, 42% of the global water and 50% of
raw materials are consumed by the buildings when they take into account the manufacture,
construction, and operational period of buildings. In addition, building activities are also contribute
50% of the world’s air pollution, 42% of its greenhouse gases, 50% of all water pollution, 48%
of all solid wastes and 50% of all chlorofluorocarbons to the environment [2].
The conventional buildings use large amounts of energy, land, water, and raw materials for
their construction and operation. They are responsible for large greenhouse gas emissions,
emissions of other harmful air pollutants; generate large amounts of construction and demolition
 Relevance of Green Building and its Present Practices • 261

waste which have serious impacts on flora and fauna. The major consumption of energy in the
buildings are during and post-construction periods such as consumption on lighting, air-
conditioning  and water heating systems that provide comfort to occupants. Further, occupant
activities generate a large amount of solid and water waste. These kinds of various environmental
issues are led to global warming, water and air pollution. Therefore, we as the citizens of the
country should adopt measures that need to be taken to prevent various environmental issues
while design, construction, pre and post execution stages.
Our rich architectural built heritage and it’s spirit and character that have reduced the carbon
footprint by adopting environmental friendly designs, using local available material; optimizing
energy by allowing more sunlight, fresh air, better insulation methods, less exposure to outdoors
and more to shaded areas. A well-designed building built out of concrete and brick is designed
for a life of 100 years in India. During a period, a building can consume unimaginable quantities
of resources and generate waste elaborated in table 1 & 2 [3].
Table 1
Resources consumed by a building during construction
Resources Forms of Consumerable elements
Land farms, forest, fertile land etc.
Soil Earth, Clay, stone, Sand etc.
Trees Wood, plywood, shuttering, etc.
Water Construction, Landscape, Cooling, Pumping, working etc.
Plastics PVC, UPVC, PU, etc.
Metals Steel, Iron, aluminum, Copper etc.
Electricity Cooling/heating, lighting, pumping

Table 2
Waste generated by a building during construction
Nature of waste Damages/ release/ disposal of materials
Site waste Cut trees and vegetation, excavation blasted stone, rubble, etc.
Construction waste metals, boxes/cans, broken bricks, shuttering oils, etc.
Sewage/ sullage black water, grey water, etc.
Organic waste peels, vegetables, fruits, etc.
Inorganic waste Recyclable wastage paper, glass, metals, etc.Non-recyclable waste demolition
debris, all plants, synthetic fibers, etc.
E-waste CDs, electronics, hardware, etc.
Chemical waste adhesive, paints, etc.

2. NEED
New technologies are constantly being developed to complement current building practices
in creating greener structures. It is necessary to develop new constructions with a common
objective to reduce the overall impact on the built environment, human health and natural
environment by addressing proper site planning, building envelope design, building system
design (heating, ventilation and air conditioning; lighting, electrical, and water heating),
integration of renewable energy sources to generate energy onsite, water and waste management,
selection of ecologically sustainable materials (with high recycled content, rapidly renewable
resources with low emission potential, etc.) and indoor environmental quality (maintain indoor
262 • Viswanadha Kumar Giduthuri and Sumateja Reddy Vanakuru

thermal and visual comfort, and air quality); protecting occupant health and improving employee
productivity and reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation by using energy, water,
and other resources efficiently.

3. MATERIAL AND METHODS

The material and methods used in this paper to understand green buildings and its present
practices in India are chronologically illustrated from its concept, benefits; the process of design;
important considerations, practicing codes, design team, evaluation, green certifying agencies
and building rating systems. The literature gathered from published sources of different green
building agencies such as LEED (India), IGBC, GRIHA and BEE and its manuals, workshop
notes and relevant websites.

4. GREEN BUILDINGS
In the context of identified objectives in the section two, it is urgent need to design both in
structure and processes that are environmentally responsible, resource-efficient throughout a
building’s life-cycle i.e., from site planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance,
renovation, and demolition; community and land use planning issues as well. In other words,
building design involves finding the balance between homebuilding and the sustainable
environment referred as “Green building”. In contrast to conventional buildings, green buildings
seek to use land and energy efficiently, conserve water and other resources, improve indoor and
outdoor air quality, and increase the use of recycled and renewable materials. This requires
close cooperation of the design team, i.e., architects, engineers and the client at all stages of a
project. Green buildings are also referred as sustainable or ‘high performance’ buildings whose
energy efficiency and environmental performance is substantially better than standard practice.
A green building depletes the natural resources to a minimum during its construction and
operation. The aim of a green building design is to minimize the demand on non-renewable
resources, maximize the utilization efficiency of these resources when in use, and maximize the
reuse, recycling, and utilization of renewable resources. It maximizes the use of efficient building
materials and construction practices; optimizes the use of on-site sources and sinks by bioclimatic
architectural practices; uses minimum energy to power itself; uses efficient equipment to meet
its lighting, air conditioning, and other needs; maximizes the use of renewable sources of energy;
uses efficient waste and water management practices; and provides comfortable and hygienic
indoor working conditions. It is evolved through a design process that requires input from all
concerned – the architect; landscape designer; and the air conditioning, electrical, plumbing,
and energy consultants – to work as a team to address all aspects of building and system planning,
designing, construction, and operation. They critically evaluate the impacts of each design decision
and arrive at viable design solutions to minimize the negative impacts and enhance the positive
impacts on the environment. In sum, the following aspects of a green building design are looked
into in an integrated way. a) site planning b) building envelope design Building system design
(HVAC [heating ventilation and air conditioning], lighting, electrical, and water heating) c)
integration of renewable energy sources to generate energy on-site d) water and waste
management e) selection of ecologically sustainable materials (with high recycled content, rapidly
 Relevance of Green Building and its Present Practices • 263

renewable resources with low emission potential, and so on) f) Indoor environmental quality
(maintain indoor thermal and visual comfort and air quality) [2].

4.1. Benefits
Sustainable designs have a wide range of economic and environmental benefits, often
achieved through the use of standards, rating, and certification systems. According to a study on
United States Green Building Council (USGBC) certified buildings have found that energy and
carbon emissions; water, and waste were reduced, resulting in savings of 30 to 97%; operating
costs reduced by 8 to 9% while increasing in value up to 7.5%. Many sustainable buildings have
seen increases of up to 6.6% on return on investment, 3.5% increases in occupancy and rental
increases of 3%. Other benefits are higher productivity and increased occupant health, have
been attributed to better indoor environmental quality, increases in natural daylighting and
healthier materials and products within green buildings.
Green buildings benefit to the owner, user, and the society as a whole in terms of
environmental, economic and social aspects. The environmental benefits deal with enhancing
and protecting biodiversity and ecosystems; Improve air and water quality; reduced waste streams
and conserve and restore natural resources. The economic aspects of benefits in the way of
reduce operating costs; improve occupant productivity; enhance asset value and profits and
optimize life-cycle economic performance. Society benefits in social aspects that enhance
occupant health and comfort; Improve indoor air quality; minimize strain on local utility
infrastructure and improve the overall quality of life.

4.2. Process of Design

(i) Integrated Design: The design of a green building is a process in which every element of
the design is first optimized and then the impact and interrelationship of various different elements
and systems within the building and site are re-evaluated, integrated and optimized as part of the
whole building solution. Such as interrelationships between the building site, site features; the
sun path and the location; orientation of the building; openings and external shading devices
have a significant impact on the quality and effectiveness of natural day lighting. These elements
also affect direct solar loads and overall energy performance for the life of the building. These
issues were not considered in the early design process or not fully optimized, will result in
inefficient design.
(ii) Important Considerations: While designing a project by adopting philosophy of
sustainable development namely, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Reinvent which is known
as five ‘R’ and use of five elements of nature in the built environment by sustainable site design;
water quality & conservation; energy & environment; Indoor environmental quality and daylights
and resources.
(iii) Methods: As discussed in the GRIHA manual for making efforts towards designing of
the green building must have to adopt the following five elements of nature in built environment.
Those are creating minimum urban sprawl and prevent the needless destruction of valuable land
(which are rich in bio-diversity), habitat and open space. Encourage higher density urban
264 • Viswanadha Kumar Giduthuri and Sumateja Reddy Vanakuru

development as a means to preserve valuable green space. Preserve key environmental assets
through careful examination of each site are known for sustainable site design practices.
Preserve the existing natural water cycle and design the site so that they closely emulate the
site’s natural hydrological systems. Emphasis on retention of storm water and on-site infiltration
is essential. Minimize the inefficient use of potable water on the site while maximizing the
recycling and reuse of water, including rainwater harvesting, stormwater, and greywater are
referred as measures for water quality & conservation aspects.
Minimize adverse impact on the environment through optimized building’s site planning &
design, material selection and aggressive use of energy conservation measures. Maximize the
use of renewable energy and other low impact energy sources are known for energy &
environment management.
Consideration of indoor environmental quality will provide a healthy, comfortable and
productive indoor environment for building occupants. Utilize the best possible conditions in
terms of indoor air quality, ventilation, and thermal comfort, access to natural ventilation and
day lighting.
Minimize the use of non-renewable construction materials through efficient engineering
and construction and effective recycling of construction debris. Maximize the use of recycled
materials, modern energy efficient engineered materials and resource efficient composite type
structural systems as well as sustainably managed biomass materials.

4.3. Practicing Codes

The National Building Code India 2005 provisions, the ECBC, the Indian Society of Heating,
Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE) standards, and other Indian Standard
codes, local bye-laws and standards which will provide green building practices for professional
designers. These codes, by its qualitative and quantitative assessment criteria, would be able to
‘rate’ a building on the degree of its ‘greenness’. The rating would be applied to new and existing
buildings of varied functions like a commercial, institutional, and residential.

4.4. Design Team

A sustainable building or green building is an outcome of a design that focuses on increasing
the efficiency of resource use energy, water, and materials while reducing building impacts on
human health and the environment during the building lifecycle, through better siting, design,
construction, operation, maintenance, and removal.
Green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human
health and the natural environment by efficiently using energy, water and other resources;
protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity; reducing waste, pollution
and environmental degradation.
Practitioners of green building often seek to achieve ecological and aesthetic harmony
between structure and its surrounding natural and built environment. Sustainable building has
significantly less operating and maintenance costs.
 Relevance of Green Building and its Present Practices • 265

Keeping above objectives, the design team must have a sufficient technical background and
an understanding of green building practices that are needed for implementation into the projects.
The design team may consist of professionals like architects and engineers; mechanical, electrical
and plumbing (MEP) consultants and landscape architects who should have a prior design
experience in green building and site planning and construction technologies. The collective
knowledge, experience and dedication of the design team will determine the overall success of
the green project. Specialized consultants may need to be engaged for specific elements of the
design and construction process to oversee all elements of the green design program.

5. EVALUATION
Currently, evaluation system has been developed for the new buildings which are at the
inception stages, to help in design and evaluate the process. A building is assessed based on its
predicted performance over its entire life cycle, i.e., inception to operation. The stages of the life
cycle that have been identified for evaluation are the pre-construction (Intra and inter-site issues);
building design and construction (issues of resource conservation and reduction in resource
demand, resource utilization efficiency, resource recovery and reuse, and provisions for occupant
health and well-being; land, water, energy, air and green cover); and building operation and
maintenance stages (issues of operation and maintenance of building systems and processes,
monitoring and recording of energy consumption; occupant health and well-being and also issues
that affect the global and local environment).

5.1. Certifying Agencies

5.1.1. International
The Green Building movement was pioneered in Great Britain with the rating system called
BREEAM, which was first launched in 1990. Buildings are certified as Green Building by
various Green building rating agencies. A wide range of rating systems has evolved in different
regions of the world based on local climates and geographical conditions. There are numerous
Green Building rating systems across the world. A list of various Green Building rating systems
are Green Star (Australia), Aqua/ LEED Brazil (Brazil), LEED Canada/ Green Globe (Canada),
GB Evaluation for Green Building (China), DGNB (Germany), IGBC, LEED & GRIHA (India),
LEED (United States) and BREEAM (UK).

5.1.2. National
In India, four primary green ratings systems are in practice, i.e., Leadership in Energy &
Environmental Design (India), Indian Green Building Council, Green Rating for Integrated
Habitat Assessment and Bureau of Energy Efficiency.
a) Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design: Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) was loosely adopted from the Building Research Establishment Environmental
Assessment Method (BREEAM) system and came into existence in 2000 in USA and
2003 in India. The LEED green building rating system is a nationally and internationally
accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of a high-performance green
building.
266 • Viswanadha Kumar Giduthuri and Sumateja Reddy Vanakuru

The ‘LEED India’ Projects registered with IGBC up to 30 June 2014 will continue to be
certified by IGBC till June 2018. This policy is in accordance with our understanding with
USGBC. India ranks third on the US Green Building Council’s annual ranking of the top 10
countries for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings. LEED
is a widely used green building rating system. The Leadership in Energy & Environmental
Design (LEED-India) Green Building Rating System is an international benchmark for the design,
construction and operation of high-performance green buildings (provided by IGBC).
b) Indian Green Building Council: In India, green Building movement was adopted by the
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in the early part of this decade. They formed the Indian
Green Building Council (IGBC), which is actively involved in promoting the green
building concept in India from 2001. The council offers a wide array of services which include
developing new green building rating programs, certification services, and green building training
programs.
The threshold criteria for certification levels for new green buildings are categorized in 5
types, i.e., certified, silver, Gold, Platinum and super Platinum under owner-occupied/ tenant
occupied buildings with an recognition mentioned on adaptation of Good practices, best
performance, outstanding performance, national excellence and Global leadership in
sustainability with an points ranging from 40-49, 50-59, 60-74, 75-89 and 90-100 respectively
(Table 3) [4].

Table 3
The threshold criteria for certification levels for New Green Buildings
Certification Level Owner- Tenant- Recognition
occupied occupied
Buildings Buildings
Certified 40 – 49 40 – 49 Good Practices
Silver 50 – 59 50 – 59 Best Practices
Gold 60 – 74 60 – 74 Outstanding Performance
Platinum 75 – 89 75 – 89 National Excellence
Super Platinum 90 - 100 90 – 100 Global Leadership

The threshold criteria for certification levels for other than new buildings are categorized in
4 types, i.e., certified, silver, Gold and Platinum under points ranging from 50-59, 60-69, 70-79
and 80-100 respectively, with an recognition mentioned on adaptation of best practices,
outstanding performance and national excellence in sustainability (Table 4) [4].

Table 4
The threshold criteria for Certification levels other than New Buildings
Certification Level Points Recognition
Certified 50 - 59 Best Practices
Silver 60 - 69 Outstanding Performance
Gold 70 - 79 National Excellence
Platinum 80 - 100 Global Leadership
 Relevance of Green Building and its Present Practices • 267

c) Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment: It was founded by The Energy and
Resources Institute (TERI) New Delhi with support from Ministry of New and Renewable
Energy, Government of India. The Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) is
a national rating system for green buildings that is adopted while designing and evaluating new
buildings. The GRIHA Council an independent platform for the interaction on scientific and
administrative issues related to sustainable habitats in the Indian subcontinent. All buildings
more than 2,500 sqm, except for industrial complexes, which are in the design stage, are eligible
for certification under GRIHA. Buildings include offices, retail spaces, institutional buildings,
hotels, hospital buildings, healthcare facilities, residences, and multi-family high-rise buildings
will be considered for assessment.
The 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. The criterion is self-validating in nature, they are energy consumption, thermal
and visual comfort, noise control, and indoor pollution levels which need to be validated on-site
through performance monitoring. This system consists of 31 criterions categorized under various
sections such as site selection and site planning, conservation and efficient utilization of resources,
building operation and maintenance, and innovation points (Table 5) [5]. Eleven out of 31
criterions are mandatory for achieving indoor comfort requirements and criteria 11 is only one
is partly mandatory which assess performance on visual, thermal and acoustic; 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 25.
Table 5
GRIHA Rating Criterion
Sections Criterion No Criterion Name Max. Points
Site Planning 1 Site Selection 1
2 Low-impact design 4
3 Design to mitigate UHIE 2
4 Site Imperviousness Factor 1
Construction Management 5 Air and water pollution control 1
6 Preserve and protect landscape 4
during construction
7 Construction Management Practices 4
Energy 8 Energy efficiency 13
9 Renewable energy utilization 7
10 Zero ODP materials 0
Occupant Comfort and 11 Achieving indoor comfort requirements 6
Well Being (visual/thermal/acoustic)
12 Maintaining good 4
13 Use of low-VOC paints and other 2
compounds in building interiors
contd. table 5
268 • Viswanadha Kumar Giduthuri and Sumateja Reddy Vanakuru

Sections Criterion No Criterion Name Max. Points

water 14 Use of low-flow fixtures and systems 4
15 Reducing landscape water demand 4
16 Water Quality 2
17 On-site water reuse 5
18 Rainwater Recharge 2
Sustainable Building 19 Utilization of BIS recommended waste 6
Materials materials in building structure
20 Reduction in embodied energy of 4
building structure
21 Use of low-environmental impact 4
materials in building interiors
Avoided post-construction 22 Avoided post-construction 4
landfill landfill
23 Treat organic waste on site 2
Socio-Economic Strategies 24 Labour safety and sanitation 1
25 Design for Universal Accessibility 2
26 Dedicated facilities for service staff 2
27 Increase in environmental awareness 1
Performance Monitoring 28 Smart metering and monitoring 8
and Validation 29 Operation, Maintenance Protocols 0
30 Performance Assessment for Final Rating 0
31 Innovation 4
Total 100

The points related to these criteria are awarded provisionally while certifying and are
converted into firm points through monitoring, validation, and documents/photographs to support
the award of the point and based on the points earned one star to five stars rating will be given
(Table 6) [5].

Table 6
GRIHA Rating
Points achieved GRIHA Rating
25-40
41-55
56-70
71-85
86 or more

d) Bureau of Energy Efficiency: In 2007, the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC)
was developed by the Government of India for new commercial buildings.  This code sets
minimum energy standards for commercial buildings having a connected load of 100kW or
 Relevance of Green Building and its Present Practices • 269

contract demand of 120kVA and above. While the Central Government has powers under the
Energy Conservation Act 2001, the state governments have the flexibility to modify the code to
suit local or regional needs and notify them. Presently, the code is in voluntary phase of
implementation. About 22 out of 29 states are at various stages of mandating ECBC, wherein
most of building construction activities are happening across the country. To support
implementation of ECBC in the built environment, several enabling measures were taken up
during 11th Plan period.
The scope for energy efficiency improvements in existing buildings is immense. Energy
audit studies have revealed that a saving potential to the extent of 40% in end use such as
lighting, cooling, ventilation, refrigeration etc. In order to address this institutional barrier, the
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has taken up the task of institutionalizing energy efficiency
services, and of promoting energy efficiency delivery mechanisms, such as the development of
a market for Energy Service Companies (ESCOs), which address the risks perceived by building
owners. Moreover, the BEE launched a five-star rating scheme for office buildings operated
during day time in the climatic zones like a) composite, b) hot and dry and 3) warm and humid.
Simulation exercises indicate that ECBC compliant buildings use 40 to 60% less energy than
similar baseline buildings [6].
Complementing the efforts of the Government of India, the ECBC has been integrated its
rating system with other rating & compliance systems which is being followed in the country,
such as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for large area development under Ministry of
Environment & Forest, GRIHA Rating system of Association for development and Research of
Sustainable Habitat (ADaRSH), LEED rating system of the Indian Green Building Council and
GRIHA rating system. Generally, the buildings or complexes having conditioned area of 1,000m2
or more will fall under this category.

6. DISCUSSION
In the purse of the present study, it is to underline that the activity of green building design,
process of evaluation, manuals/ codes and agencies involved in it. Recently, Government of
India has mandated to have all its buildings have to be designed as green buildings now onwards.
Today all types of buildings are going in the Greenway- Government and private buildings, IT
Parks, Offices, Residential, Banks, Airports, Convention Centre, Institutions, Hospitals, Hotels,
Factories, special economic zone (SEZs), Townships, Schools, Metros etc.
It is evident that recent statistics shows growth of green footprint in India. During 2003, it
began with 20,000sq.ft. and as on May 2016, more than 3,629 green buildings projects coming
up with a footprint of over 3.61 Billion sq.ft are registered with the IGBC, out of which 801
green building projects are certified and fully functional has emerged as the second largest in
the world, and going on this trend for last three years. In this way, the coverage can go up to 10
billion square feet by the year 2022.
“The reason why the green building movement has been shaping up well in India is that
they make good business sense. Commercial and big residential green buildings cost between 2-
3% more than the conventional ones. But the incremental cost can be paid back in about three
years from the savings made out of energy and water”. Industry estimates that the energy savings
270 • Viswanadha Kumar Giduthuri and Sumateja Reddy Vanakuru

from a typical green building is about 30-40%. With the awareness level increasing about the
multifarious benefits of such projects, the demand is on an upswing. Developers are also warming
up to the concept because green homes attract more buyers than the conventional buildings do.
IGBC states that extending of additional Floor Area Ratio (FAR), faster clearance, lesser
property tax and a reduced interest rate of around 25 basis points for the buyers of green buildings
will be the right stimulus required to make green buildings a big movement in the country. Many
state governments are already giving the incentive of additional FAR.
Besides residential and commercial projects, the concept of green schools is emerging as a
new trend. So far 35 schools have been certified. “In fact, building a green school can cost less.
For converting existing schools into green ones, it will take $4,500 to $10,450 depending on the
size of the school and the type of rating it needs to have”. Even corporates have shown interest
in adopting green schools. IGBC has approached Gujarat government and Central Government
run Educational institutions (Kendriya Vidyalayas) to help schools go green” [7].
According to TERI estimations, if all buildings in urban areas are made to adopt green
building concepts, India could save more than 8,400 megawatts of power, which is enough to
light 550,000 homes a year [8].
The building sector in India, represents about 33% of electricity consumption, where
commercial and residential sectors share is 8% and 25% respectively. Estimates based on
computer simulation models indicate that ECBC compliant buildings can use 40% to 60% less
energy than conventional buildings. It also projects that if nation-wide is mandating to enforce
the ECBC that will yield annual savings of approximately 1.7 billion kWh.

7. SUMMARY
Sustainable architecture seeks to minimize the harmful impacts of the buildings on
environment and on occupants. Such sustainable built green buildings are environmentally
responsible and resource-efficient, right from selection of the site to the demolition after its
lifecycle ends and conserves other natural resources which generates less waste, greenhouse
gases and provides healthier space for occupants as compared to a conventional building. Building
green means optimisation on use of local materials, ecology and most importantly to reduce
power, water, and material requirements. These buildings use 13.6% of all potable water or 15
trillion gallons per year, 40% of materials and 41% of energy globally.

References
The World Bank. (2016). http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.ATM.CO2E.PC. Retrieved september
20, 2016, from www.data.worldbank.org.
GOI, TERI. (2010). GRIHA Manual Volume 1. New Delhi, India: TERI Press.
GoI. (2012). The Little Book of GRIHA Rating. New Delhi: Ministry of New and REnewable Energy.
IGBC. (2016). IGBC New Building Rating System Version. Hyderabad, India: IGBC.
GRIHA and TERI. (2015). GRIHA V 2015: A Bridged Document. New Delhi, India: GRIHA Council.
Bureau of Energy Efficiency. (2015). Buildings- Bureau of Energy Efficiency. Retrieved March 1, 2016,
from Bureau of Energy Efficiency: https://beeindia.gov.in/content/ecbc
 Relevance of Green Building and its Present Practices • 271

Tripathy, S. (2016, 4 28). India’s green building footprint can be largest in world by 2022. Retrieved
september 29, 2016, from ENVIS Centre on Toxic Chemicals: http://www.itrcenvis.nic.in/Database/
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buildings-in-india

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