The article “ >Green-rated buildings not keeping their promise, says CSE report ” (Oct. 11) misses the mark. The debate over building performance is not new. The U.S. Green Building Council, of which I am the COO, spends much time educating people that buildings are complex systems and that performance is impacted by many things from the systems installed, to the people using the building and human behaviour.
The LEED green building programme has redefined how we think about our buildings. LEED buildings cost less to operate and reduce power and water bills by as much as 40 per cent. Making unscientific claims about building performance without careful analysis undermines the significant efforts India has undertaken to remain relevant and competitive in today’s global economy. Businesses and organisations in India and worldwide use LEED to increase their building efficiency, attract and retain top talent, and invest in emerging technologies. LEED is a mark of quality, used by 62,000 buildings in 150+ countries. And, ‘green building’ is flourishing here in India. In fact, India is one of the largest markets for LEED in the world. Infosys, Tata, ITC and many others embrace LEED for their sustainability agendas. We welcome a debate, but let’s not make unscientific claims.
Mahesh Ramanujam,
Washington DC
