Aim to have 10 billion square feet of green buildings in 10 years: IGBC

Chandrashekar Hariharan, chairman of the IGBC Bengaluru Chapter, has said that decarbonisation will become the defining term in the next decade. Speaking at the CII-IGBC media event, he announced the Indian Green Building Council's goal of achieving 10 billion square feet of green buildings in India within the same timeframe.

 

“We are the fastest-growing green building certification body, surpassing both the US and China in terms of compound annual growth rate (CAGR). Our goal is to achieve certification for 10 billion square feet over the next ten years,” said Hariharan.

 

At the event, the IGBC highlighted global warming as the most critical factor driving the need for green buildings. It noted that buildings contribute to 25-40 per cent of global energy consumption, 30-40 per cent of solid waste generation, and around 40 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

   

The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), established by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in 2001, aims to achieve two key goals: to create a sustainable built environment for all and to position India as a global leader in sustainable development by 2025.

 

As of now, over 14,511 green building projects in India, covering 12.307 billion square feet, have adopted IGBC ratings. Additionally, there are more than 130 net-zero projects.

 

Famous iconic projects going green with IGBC include the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in Delhi, HAL Helicopter Factory in Tumkur, Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, and Central Vista (the redevelopment project) in New Delhi, among others.

 

Moreover, IGBC's Net Zero vision aims to position India as a global leader in achieving 'Net Zero' by 2050, encompassing energy, water, waste, and carbon. More than 350 organisations have pledged to meet these targets across both new and existing buildings.

 

The CII-IGBC will host the 22nd Green Building Congress in Bengaluru from November 14-16. The event aims to promote sustainable building practices, with an emphasis on green homes towards Net Zero for minimal environmental impact and maximum comfort. It will address the integration of renewable energy in buildings and the transformation of existing structures to Net Zero through technical upgrades, renewable integration, and community engagement.

 

“The Green Building Congress is a pivotal event for advancing the green building movement in India, with over 12 billion square feet of registered green buildings and more than 14,500 certified projects by IGBC. With the continued support of the Government of Karnataka for IGBC Bangalore Chapter’s initiatives, we aim to foster discussions and collaborations that can catalyse meaningful change and encourage broader adoption of green practices nationwide,” said Hariharan.

 

The Green Building Congress will bring together architects, designers, builders, developers, corporate leaders, academia, government representatives, international agencies, and green product manufacturers to foster collaboration, knowledge exchange, and networking, advancing sustainable practices in the building sector.