Q. How has the growth of green homes and housing complexes been in Delhi NCR in the last few years?
The growth has been phenomenal but it is only the tip of the iceberg. Though there are not many in Delhi, a large number of developers in Noida is going for green housing projects because the authority there gives incentives like extra Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for such projects. Similar projects would take off in Delhi too when FAR for such projects increases. People are now also realising that this is the kind of living they want.
Q. Many are under the impression that green buildings are expensive compared to conventional buildings.
On the contrary, there are now materials available for green buildings that are cheaper than normal materials. Developers are opting for materials with low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and rated appliances that are energy-efficient. By using such materials, you save on energy bills. By re-using waste-water, you get water for gardening and other needs. It was a different story five years ago, but now there are many green products available in the market and hopefully, all of these will be cheaper than conventional material if we encourage this market to grow.
Q. Is it possible to turn an existing building into a ‘green’ one or does it have to be built from scratch?
One can retrofit a building by adding things to it such as using LED lights, installing low flow water fixtures, recycling waste, providing insulation for the building and using energy-efficient electrical appliances. We provide separate green rating for existing buildings.
Q. How do you plan to promote the green home concept further?
We started IGBC Green Home for all types of residences — standalone houses to multi-story housing complexes. There are ratings for all of them, based on Indian codes that keep Indian way of life and weather conditions in mind. We plan to extend the rating to affordable houses and also rope in banks to provide easier financing.
