Hyderabad: The green building footprint, which has crossed 10.2 billion sq ft at the national level, is likely to double in size in about three years. It took nearly two decades for the country to reach this level since the green buildings concept was first introduced in 2001.
Telangana accounts for more than 10 per cent or about 1.12 billion sq ft of the total green building footprint, according to C Shekar Reddy, chairman, -CII-Indian Green Building Council (IGB).
“The awareness about the green concepts is increasing and more developers are keen on implementing them in their projects. Green buildings earlier were 18 per cent pricier than the conventional buildings and the payback time was about seven years. Now, the difference is about three per cent and is less than three years,” he explained why the green building footprint is on the rise.
At the national level, there are about 11,000 green projects. In Telangana, there are about 700 such projects. “We are hopeful that the green footprint will double in about three to four years. Various governments too are pushing green buildings,” he said. Green building facilitated reduction of over 19.3 million tonne carbondioxide per annum.
Telangana has made a headway in pushing green buildings in many commercial, residential buildings and government projects including the Secretariat complex, HUDA Annexe -II, Metro Bhavan, Telangana City Police Commissionerate and Command Control Building, Hyderabad Metro stations and others. Telangana's recent Green Roof Policy will also give an impetus to the green buildings movement.
Why green buildings? Climate change and its implications have brought to the forefront the need for institutionalising sustainability. Green ratings provide a framework for adaptation of green measures, assessment, and rating procedures by a third party to ensure compliance. There is also an evolution of green finance, which offers special dispensation to companies with strong environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) portfolios.
IGBC now has 31 green and net zero ratings systems covering sectors like green cities, communities, data centres, logistic parks, transit stations, healthcare, retail, and others. These also cover design, construction, operation, and maintenance aspects. “There will be a visible 30 per cent reduction in power and water usage due to the use of sensors and other technology. The air quality too improves resulting in the productivity going up. The focus will also be on a circular economy where more recycled products are used,” the IGBC chairman said.
IGBC is hosting a green property show at Hitex from June 28 to 30 to showcase green certified and pre-certified projects. It will also showcase green building products.
