Green building and flood resistant building

 

Green building is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's lifecycle. While there are many different accepted definitions of green building that are available, a general definition constitutes of design and planning elements that reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by: 

• Efficiently using energy, water, building materials and other resources 
• Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity 
• Reducing waste, pollution, and environmental degradation 

 

The urban population in India is set to touch 900 million by 2050. In line with the expanding development and population, India’s building sector is expected to grow five-fold till 2050 as two-thirds of the commercial and high-rise residential structures that will exist in 2030 are yet to be built. While India's total energy requirement is projected to grow at 6.5 percent per year to support the country’s projected growth rate, India is going to become the world’s second largest emitter of greenhouse gases. It is globally accepted that green buildings have the capability to save resources in the entire lifecycle of the structure and have environmental, economic and social elements that benefit all stakeholders, including owners and the occupants of such buildings. Several policy and regulatory mechanisms have been formulated to address the urban challenges and are being implemented through national plans and programmes.

With rapid improvements in construction techniques and attitude, many contemporary commercial and institutional buildings have adapted green design but much more is needed to be done. The successful adoption of green building strategies can maximise both the economic and environmental performance of buildings.

GIZ India under the Climate Smart Cities Project is thus providing technical assistance and advising local governments, institutions and private stakeholders on this specific topic, developing a framework to promote green building construction that would ultimately reduce the pressure on available resources and contribute to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of India.