Green buildings in India: Maharashtra, Karnataka top the list
1 min read 18 Jun 2019, 11:44 AM ISTMaharashtra has 334 LEED-certified green buildings, while Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have 232 and 157 buildings, respectively Last year’s list saw Tamil Nadu in the top position with 118 such buildings
PremiumBengaluru: Maharashtra bagged the top slot, followed by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, in the second edition of the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) list of India’s top ten states that have maximum number of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified green buildings.
LEED is a widely used green building rating system. It ranked states in terms of cumulative gross square feet (GSF) of certified space as of 31 December, 2018. Maharashtra has 334 LEED-certified green buildings, while Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have 232 and 157 buildings, respectively. Last year’s list saw Tamil Nadu in the top position with 118 such buildings.
Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan, managing director, Southeast Asia and Middle East, USGBC and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), said India continues to demonstrate year-over-year growth.
“Many government agencies and state governments have started offering incentives around LEED, and businesses, educational institutions and non-profits across every sector in India are committing to LEED. These leaders are stepping up and answering the call, advancing sustainable, healthy and environmentally friendly buildings and working to raise the living standard for the people in their communities," Padmanabhan said.
LEED is an international symbol of sustainability excellence that signifies a building is lowering carbon emissions, conserving resources and cutting costs, while prioritizing sustainable practices and creating a healthier environment, USGBC said in a release on Tuesday.
Buildings that are LEED-certified create healthier spaces for people, as well as use less energy and water, reduce air pollution, provide cleaner air indoors and save money for businesses and families. They also generate fewer emissions compared to traditional buildings — not only during the construction stage but also after they are occupied and throughout the entire lifecycle of a building, it said.
The top 10 states for LEED are home to more than 840 million Indians and together include more than 475 million gross square feet of LEED-certified space.
