Green buildings hold key to climate change commitments

Setting minimum standards of energy efficiency for buildings will be key to meeting India's commitment on addressing climate change issues, according to Mr Jamshyd N Godrej, Chairman, CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre (CII-GBC).

Addressing the inaugural of the four-day international conference and exhibition on green buildings organised by CII-GBC, he said the building sector accounts for nearly half the green house gas emissions that are responsible for the threat of global warming.

Setting standards for establishment of energy efficient buildings will help address the issue. This will be crucial to enabling the Government meet its target of bringing down the carbon emission intensity by 20 per cent in the next 10 years, a commitment made in the Copenhagen Climate Conference.

The Centre, State Governments and local bodies should work together to implement minimum efficiency standards as spelt out in the ECBC. The green building initiative that has attracted the attention of the private sector including industry and real estate developers had helped develop quality buildings that are efficient in terms of energy, water use and minimal waste generation. But to make a real difference the Government needs to set standards that have to be met by all.

Mr Godrej welcomed the Government initiative in encouraging efficiency in energy intensive industries and measures to support renewable energy. The Perform-Achieve-Trade mechanism under the national mission for enhanced energy efficiency which envisages a market-based mechanism to enhance average energy efficiency in industry and provision of feed-in tariffs for solar energy and wind power are progressive measures that will make a positive impact on reducing green house gas emissions.

Mr Tony Arnel, Chairman, World Green Building Council, said development of energy efficient green buildings, which minimise the impact on environment and natural resources, are now a part of the global debate leading up to the Cancun Climate Change Summit to be held in December. Green buildings can do more than address environmental concerns and can have a positive social and economic benefit if the industry and the governments can work together.

Two pacts signed

The Indian Green Building Council has entered into two agreements to carry forward the green building initiative. One is with the Green Building Council of Australia for a research collaboration for carbon offsets in building sector. A second MoU was with the US Green Building Council relating to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) to upgrade the existing LEED India system.

The conference which is in its eighth edition this year has attracted over 1,500 delegates and about 200 exhibitors who are showcasing technology, products and services relating to green buildings. The CII-GBC, a division of the Confederation of Indian Industry, offers advisory services in green buildings, energy efficiency and environment conservation.