Builders in Bengaluru are poised to take forward the green building concept. A target of 300 buildings a year is part of the vision of Bengaluru’s builders who are members of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (Credai), a body that wants to increase the green footprint in the city.
As of now, green buildings form just one per cent of the total number of new constructions over the last five to 10 years, although Suresh Hari, Secretary Credai says that the green concept within Credai is higher than among builders outside Credai.
The concept of green living has been known for almost a decade. While many government and office buildings have gone green, the residential landscape in the City is not green enough to generate hi-tech green certifications.
The number of exclusive green apartments and residences are few, while the hype is high. The hope however is that green apartments or buildings are becoming part of the developers’ mindshare and real estate plans now take off with the green concept in mind.
India, on the whole, has around 2,000-odd green buildings. This number is expected to grow high by 2025 according to the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). The new buildings will include hospitals, hotels, offices, institutions, colleges, convention centres and IT parks. Bengaluru is now estimated to have around 100-200 green buildings or buildings with ‘Green’ certification. This number is sought to be enhanced to 300 a year at least.
Apartments which are being built in the hundreds will alone help meet the target of 300 green buildings a year because independent dwellings are not growing as fast as apartments in Bengaluru now. The penetration level is below five per cent of all constructions, according to the IGBC. But the residential sector, which has begun on a slow note, is expected to overtake commercial buildings at the end of the next decade.
M’rashtra leads the way
Maharashtra is said to have the highest number of green buildings, followed by the National Capital Region, Delhi and Tamil Nadu. Suresh Hari, secretary of the Credai, Bengaluru, had told this newspaper that the concept of green homes in the City was fairly widespread, but the number of buildings certified as green, or that have obtained authentic green certifications was very few.
“Within the Credai group, green certification may be around eight to 10 percent, while certification outside is less than one percent. Overall, the green building market within the larger residential market is around one percent.”
There are various ways in which the green concept can be implemented. Green buildings typically use less water, optimise energy efficiency, conserve natural resources, generate lesser waste and have healthier open spaces.
“A green apartment or residence will assure you operational savings for the rest of your life even if you pay a little more for it as compared to a conventional building. You will reduce waste in everything you do within and outside the house because of the installations and design of the house, and by consuming less of everything and conserving — you save money,” says a real estate analyst. A villa or an independent house, for instance, can be designed in such a way that there is enough open space within the house to allow optimum sunlight instead of raw heat — the design controls sunlight flow into the house.
“When you install such facilities, a green apartment will naturally cost more, but you get long-term savings. When new offers are made, green buildings are now part of the planning menu. The fact that builders give you the option of a green building means the concept is here to stay and will grow,” the real estate analyst said.