Preservation of the environment is the demand of nature. It is the need of the hour. It is the responsibility of each one of us to contribute our share. Man has been paving his way and cutting down the resources for his pleasant journey of life but there seems to be a dead end to this journey. He has to do something to preserve and restore the resources for his future generations. When this fact was realized there came a change in lives and lifestyles. Man has polluted the environment to its core. So it is the duty of man to refurbish it. IGBC is one of the measures taken to restore the resources of this planet through Real Estate.
TABLE OF CONTENT
- IGBC in Real Estate
- IGBC Green Homes
- IGBC Certification
- Benefits of IGBC Certified Buildings
- IGBC Green Landscapes
- Protecting the Environment
1.IGBC in Real Estate
The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) was formed in 2001 with a vision to enable a sustainable environment for all and assist India to be one of the global leaders in the sustainable built environment by 2025. IGBC is a part of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
There are varied benefits of green certified buildings. IGBC Certification is one of the best initiatives taken by our government. It helps to build environment-friendly residential complexes. IGBC certification guarantees that a project is not only well designed but also eco-friendly, uses less resources and is green. The IGBC offers green building rating and certification on the following parameters:
a) Water Conservation: India always faces scarcity of water. This is the major issue here. Hence, the conservation of water is the foremost concern. Every IGBC certified building has to cater to water conservation. This is done by recycling used water through several processes and 30-50% of water is saved and reused.
To obtain IGBC certification, the following measures are mandatory relating to water conservation :
- Complete recycling of wastewater and then using the same for flushing and landscaping
- Using water-efficient fixtures to reduce water demand
- Planting drought-tolerant plants to reduce water supply for landscaping
- The facility of rain water harvesting
- Availability of water metering to monitor the water flow for overall consumption
- Drip irrigation to be adopted for efficient usage of water for landscaping
b) Energy Efficient: Saving energy means saving natural resources and also saving money. Homes should be constructed with energy efficient material. IGBC certified projects have to use energy efficient electrical and lighting devices that would consume less energy and save about 20-30% of the power. The lights need to have 20% less LPD than the baseline specified by IGBC. The use of solar powered lights in common areas is mandatory.
c) Reduce Carbon Footprints: Use of electric vehicles should be increased to reduce carbon footprints. Projects that wish to apply for IGBC certification should have an electric charging facility in the parking areas.
d) Effectual Waste Management: Depletion of natural resources at an alarming rate demands some measures that would prevent the running out of resources. Recycling is the perfect measure in this scenario. Considering the present situation, IGBC has made it mandatory to have a waste treatment system installed in all its certified buildings. All the household disposables and organic waste are recycled here. 100 % of waste will be converted into useful manure in an IGBC Certified project. This manure can be used for landscaping.
e) Limited use of endangered natural material: Materials like wood and fuel which are on the verge of extinction are replaced by recycled materials in IGBC This makes the project eco-friendly, chic and luxurious.
f) Abundant Daylight: As per the norms, more than 75% of the total floor area must receive daylighting. This will reduce the use of energy.
2.IGBC Green Homes
This is the first rating program developed in India exclusively for the residential sector. The main objective is to facilitate the effective use of site resources, conserve water, use energy efficiently, maximize material utilization and design for healthy, comfortable and environmentally friendly homes. The program is basically formulated to address national priorities and provide a quality of life to the residents.
A project has to fulfill the required categories to apply for IGBC certification. These include -site and planning, water conservation, energy efficiency, limited materials and resources to be used, innovation and design process and indoor environmental quality. Green building designs contribute in protecting the environment.
3.IGBC Certification
Projects of real estate which are interested in IGBC project certification must first register with IGBC. Registration is the initial step. Once registered, then the team has to prepare for the submission of the required documents. The project has to satisfy all the mandatory requirements and the minimum number of points to get the IGBC rating. The mandatory requirements are submitted in two phases.
a) Preliminary Phase: All the mandatory requirements and the minimum number of credits have to be submitted in this phase. After the submission, a third party review is done and the review comments will be provided within 30 working days.
b) Final Phase: This phase involves the submission of clarifications to preliminary review queries and the final submission. A review of this phase will be provided in 30 working days. Rating will be awarded after the final review.
4.Benefits of IGBC Certified Buildings
- Maximum use of natural light, use of solar heating systems, energy efficient walls and roofs reduce the power bills by 15-25%.
- Rainwater harvested for the ground table
- Low water fixtures are used that can reduce water consumption and then the water bills
- Contributes to energy and water savings
- As compost is used for landscaping and recycled water for flushing, there is a reduction in the maintenance charges.
- Due to self sufficiency of water, dependency on water tankers will be reduced
- There is a reduction in the maintenance charges for electricity bills as the common areas use LEDs and solar power for lifts and pumps.
5.IGBC Green Landscapes
Landscapes offer remarkable benefits. There is a reduction in potable water, better handling of waste and is energy efficiency. They provide a serene atmosphere, enhance biodiversity, protect and enrich the topmost layer of soil. IGBC Green Landscape Rating System is developed based on practices and technologies that are available. The main objective of this rating system is to create environmental and user friendly landscapes.
6. Protecting the Environment
As per the IGBC norms, every certified building of real estate must have an expanse of open area that could provide enough fresh air to its residents. Proper air flow should be taken care of. Outdoor amenities with a stretch of greenery is mandatory. Some projects have additional features like water bodies or huge parks on their lands to enhance the beauty of the project in addition to protecting the environment. Nature provides innumerable health benefits and life close to nature is of course beneficial. These amenities give the feel of living in the lap of Mother Nature We have already damaged the natural resources and the environment to a great extent. IGBC Certified homes have enhanced air quality with excellent day lighting. It also takes care of the health and well being of the residents along with the conservation of scarce natural resources. IGBC has planned a way to refurbish our environment so that we can stay close to nature. Hence living in IGBC Certified projects is beneficial. Protect Nature and learn to live with Nature.
Written by Nikhil Gattu
