Green buildings become economically viable

The Green Business Certification Inc (GBCI), the certifying body for all projects participating in the LEED green building rating system, released its 2016 LEED in Motion: India report, a comprehensive report of the LEED activity in India, which found strong financial savings on energy for a number of sector-diverse, LEED Platinum and Gold certified buildings across the country. For instance, the report notes that the LEED Platinum ITC Sankhya Data Centre in Bengaluru achieved an annual energy savings of Rs 121 million; LEED Gold IFFCO Sadan in New Delhi saved Rs 1.6 million annually in energy and the LEED Gold K Raheja Corp’s Mindspace Building No. 9 in Hyderabad saved Rs 24 million annually in energy and Rs 3 million in water savings. “Every story about LEED is a story about leadership and this new report shows that leaders across India have chosen LEED because it benefits their triple bottom-line: people, planet and profit,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, President, GBCI and COO, USGBC, the creators of LEED. “As the world’s leading system for sustainable building design, construction and operations, LEED helps innovative Indian business and political leaders attract new foreign investment, increase the competitiveness of real estate portfolios, enhance occupant health and wellness and position the nation as a world leader in the burgeoning green building economy. LEED in Motion: India is the latest in a series of reports from GBCI designed to provide a holistic snapshot of the green building movement in international markets. The report equips green building advocates with the insight and perspective to understand the use of the globally recognised LEED rating system and to make a strong case for sustainable building activity.