The Hindu Business Line : Kalam to inaugurate Green Business Centre today

GETTING SET: Sniffer dogs checking the premises of CII-Sohrabji Green Business Centre in Hyderabad on Wednesday morning. The President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, will formally inaugurate the Centre on Thursday. - A. Roy Chowdhury

Hyderabad , July 13

THE President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, will formally inaugurate the Rs 10-crore CII-Sohrabji Green Business Centre here on Wednesday.

Set up jointly by the State Government, the house of Godrej, CII and USAID, the GBC promotes green building activity. "We would like to set off a green revolution of green buildings," Mr Jamshyd N. Godrej, Chairman of GBC, told newspersons here on Tuesday. He said the Centre would popularise the concept of green buildings not just in India but also in Asia and added that Singapore had shown interest.

Refuting the claims that green buildings are not viable, Mr Godrej said they cost just 15 per cent more. "But the payback period is just three to four years. In fact, it doesn't need any subsidies. It is viable for everyone," he said.

The GBC, with a Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) rating, is the greenest building in the world as yet. Incidentally, it is the first building outside the US to get a Platinum rating.

Citing the US example where some States made it mandatory for all upcoming Government buildings to be LEED certified, Mr Godrej said the Government here too should take the lead.

On its part, the GBC would encourage corporates to go for green buildings and train architects, engineers and builders in various aspects related to green buildings.

The GBC's initial focus will be on paper, chemical, engineering and pharmaceuticals. "Our objective is to see five units to achieve green status and five more to become world class energy efficient units by the end of 2005," he said.

ITC Bhadrachalam, Madras Cements and Lanco Power are among the eight companies striving for the LEED certification. Stating that 1,000 CEOs had committed themselves to the green movement, he said the potential for green buildings by 2007 had been pegged at Rs 1,000 crore. "Our vision is to become a world leader in green business by 2015," Mr Godrej said.

In his presentation, Mr Godrej showcased various energy efficient attributes of GBC, shaped to model the green building concept.

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