green bulidings in india

‘A Green building should create delight when entered, serenity and health when
occupied and regret when departed’ – Perhaps this is one of the most inspiring
definitions of a Green building, articulated in the book ‘Natural Capitalism’.
The concept of green buildings is not as nascent as we think it is. For example, our
own ancestors worshipped the five elements of nature - Earth as ‘Prithvi, Water as
“Jal’, Agni as ‘Energy’, Air as ‘Vayu’, and Sky as ‘Akash’.
Today through the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Leadership) green
building rating system, we are rediscovering the Indian ethos.
The Green building movement has gained tremendous momentum during the past
3-4 years, since the CII- Godrej GBC embarked on achieving the prestigious LEED
rating for its own centre at Hyderabad. The Platinum rating awarded for this building
sparked off considerable enthusiasm in the country.
From a humble beginning of 20,000 sq.ft of green footprint in the country in the year
2003, to a staggering 10 million sq.ft expected by end 2008, green buildings are well
poised to reach scalar heights. Today a variety of green building projects are coming
up in the country – residential complexes, exhibition centers, hospitals,
educational institutions, laboratories, IT parks, airports, government buildings
and corporate offices
.
Fig 1