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Gopala Krishnan Padmanabhan, Managing Director, APAC and Middle East, Green Business Certificate Institute (GBCI), in an interview with BusinessLine, explains how green building principles are being adopted and GBCI’s initiatives in the Indian market.
Where does India stand in the green building sphere?
India is ranked third after China and Canada, with more than 752 LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) projects totalling more than 20.28 million gross square metres of space, as per the LEED annual top 10 countries and regions, announced by USGBC (US Green Building Council). The list recognises markets outside the US that are using LEED to create healthier, more sustainable spaces where citizens live, learn, work and play.
How do you see the Make in India initiative impacting the sector?
Make in India attracts investments across sectors, including construction and renewable energy. There are investment opportunities for green building solutions, and sustainable and environment-friendly building materials. To increase the knowledge base amongworking professionals and government officials, we are working closely with State governments, municipalities and their engineers on we can increase awareness on green buildings.
Where does India stand at innovation in green building?
India is constantly moving up the ladder in terms of innovation and growth. The economy is receptive to change and new technology. GBCI uses innovative rating systems, measurement tools and techniques to provide best sustainable measures.
Majority of the innovations are in designing the building, using the material and introducing different rating systems to make it more relevant for each sector.
How are small and medium companies coping with green building initiatives?
There is a growing need and demand for green buildings across sectors and organisations. It is a myth that green buildings are expensive. The raw material has become cheaper because of economies of scale in production. In fact, green building should include as many natural and low-cost ways as possible, to support energy-efficiency.
What are GBCI’s initiative to broaden the market in India?
We are working with the government and private organisations to educate them about the benefits of green buildings and its impact on the environment and health of their employees. USGBC is planning introduce Greenbuild India Expo to expand the green building footprint here. The expo, held annually in the US since 2002, is the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building.
The green building initiative is still IT/ITES companies driven. How are other sectors doing?
IT/ ITES is one of the sectors where LEED is present. There is also a demand for green buildings from schools, retail outlets, educational institutions, data centres, warehouses, ports, terminals, temples, and they are continuously increasing the reach.
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