India's green housing segment is gaining momentum as residential developers and buyers focus increasingly on sustainability, resource efficiency and long-term affordability. A Square Yards report found that green residential developments can reduce water consumption by 30-50 per cent and lower energy costs by 20-30 per cent, improving household affordability and overall quality of life. The report also identified a major transparency gap, noting that although India has more than 19,700 green building projects, homebuyers lack a standardised framework to compare sustainability credentials.

To address this, Square Yards, in collaboration with sustainability research partner The Habitat Emprise, launched the Square Yards Green Living Index (SYGLI), a standardised assessment framework intended to make residential sustainability more measurable and comparable. The index evaluates projects using publicly available information sourced from Real Estate Regulatory Authority filings, developer disclosures and geospatial intelligence. Parameters covered include energy efficiency, water management, indoor environmental quality, climate resilience, mobility access and environmental impact.

Industry stakeholders say transparent sustainability information is becoming increasingly important for homebuyers as India urbanises rapidly and the residential building stock expands. The report emphasised that the construction sector accounts for nearly one-third of India’s greenhouse gas emissions, making green housing a material component of the country’s long-term net-zero transition. Demand is rising for healthier homes and climate-resilient living spaces, which place a premium on verifiable sustainability credentials.

Market participants expect structured sustainability benchmarks to influence residential decision-making and developer practices going forward, driving greater disclosure and performance improvements. The index aims to provide comparable metrics that can help buyers and policymakers understand performance across projects and prioritise investments that reduce resource use and emissions. Secondary research assembled the findings and normal due diligence is required when using the data.