Going green in India

India has received an eco-friendly makeover recently, with a huge rise in green buildings, including hospitals and manufacturing plants, over the past six years.

By Source: Financial Chronicle June 12, 2009

In 2003, there was an estimated 20,000 sq ft of green buildings in entire country of India. Today, that number is 245 million sq ft, and it appears to have not reached its peak yet .

The country now has 360 environmentally friendly buildings, which include a Motorola manufacturing unit, a hospital, the Hyderabad Airport, and a Grundfos factory. More than 30 of the buildings have been certified by the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program, according to the Green Business Centre .

Multiple manufacturing companies are working to make their factories cleaner within the country. At the same time, office building operators are increasing demand for energy-efficient lighting and temperature control, the ability to measure and control consumption of water and power, and sensible building design. It is expected that a rise in green buildings will cut energy use by as much as 50% compared to conventional buildings.

According to the India-based real estate consultancy company Jones Lang Lasalle Meghra , it’s expected that in the next three to five years, public awareness on green buildings is expected to rise significantly in the country and there may be an emerging trend of developers charging a premium for eco-friendly buildings. India expects to develop about 110 million sq ft more of green space in the next few years.