In a first for an Indian airport, the swanky new Terminal 3 (T3) of the IGI airport here has been awarded the LEED gold rating for green buildings in recognition of its environment-friendly features.

The ‘Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design New Construction' rating was awarded to T3 for sustainability, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, material and resources, indoor environmental quality and innovation in design categories.

The LEED NC certification system is developed by Indian Green Building Congress (IGBC) for green buildings, which is the local chapter of US Green Building Council (USGBC) that sets whole-building standards in the world.

“We are proud to achieve the Gold rating LEED NC for Terminal 3, as it is one of the best known green building rating systems worldwide. It is a true acknowledgement of our sincere efforts to be environment-friendly. In contrast to the traditional master planning process, DIAL adopted a proactive approach towards environment friendliness,” said Mr I.P. Rao, CEO, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL).

He said that the primary focus of the design team at T3 was promoting energy efficiency and improving environmental quality.

“T3 is designed to be a national model for passenger-friendly and environmentally responsible airport facilities,” he said, adding a lot of emphasis has been put on rain water harvesting at IGIA.

“In fact, the count of water harvesting structures at the Delhi Airport have increased six times in the last three years, from a mere 50 of these structures in 2008 to a figure of 300 at present,” Mr Rao said.

According to the IGBC definition of a green building, the building should use less water, optimise energy efficiency, conserve natural resources, generate less waste and provide healthier spaces for occupants, as compared to a conventional building. Rainwater harvesting or use of natural lighting and CFL bulbs are the basic elements for achieving the green building objective.

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