Recently 575 projects have been registered to be certified under GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment), which is a nationwide rating system for eco-friendly buildings in the country. The Energy and Research Institute or TERI which is a not for profit research body has developed the GRIHA which was adopted by the Government of India in 2007 for certifying eco-friendly properties. For the implementation of GRIHA, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in collaboration with TERI established Association for Development and Research of Sustainable Habitats or ADARSH. It is an independently registered society which works on research, training and development activities for strengthening GRIHA, administratively as well as technically.
So, whether you are searching for apartments in Gurgaon or any other city, you should always keep the criteria of choosing green buildings and live the most of it.
ADARSH monitors and selects the kind of trees and vegetation that should be planted within a township for ensuring healthier environments. Developers are coming up with many upcoming new projects in Gurgaon and other metros or urban localities. The townships and residential communities shall enjoy advanced pollution control and better dust. Also, every block of the township shall be design centring on landscaped parks and all the roads shall be lined with large trees and shrubs with green canopy.
For keeping an area green, open grid pavements, overhangs, and trees with big crowns for enabling large shaded areas for all buildings. The emphasis is on locally available and indigenous flora which would be tolerant of air-pollutant such as SO2 and SPM. Larger leaf area and foliage density would enhance nitrogen fixing and quickly decompose leaf litter. The emphasis is on selection of a plant species which is drought resistant and holds on to water well, grows fast, is deep rooted and can form dense foliage for green townships.
Apart from improving green cover in an area, charging points at important junctions for promoting electric vehicles which produce low pollution is a feature that green townships are also promoting. Motor free facilities such as well-developed cycling tracks have shall be integrated in the townships’ internal roads. Parking lots along the roads have been planned along with parks.
Recently a GRIHA summit was conducted where the Vice President of the council, Amit Kumar has commented that 21 million sq. m have been registered for GRIHA certificates. He has also commented that above 150 projects shall be added this year, apart from the 575 that have already registered.
Mili Majumdar, the secretary cum treasurer of GRIHA has commented that buildings are rated under various parameters such as water conservation, waste management and energy efficiency. Not only are residential communities given GRIHA certification but educational institutions and offices as well. The Acting Director-General of TERI, Leena Srivastava has stressed on the quick changing environment which requires the involvement of all stakeholders. Our climate is changing rapidly and more companies are coming up with technologies which facilitate sustainable living. End users too should be informed enough to make good decisions which are in their favour. The requirement for unanimous action on bettering energy efficiency is quite high today, both for domestic and global reasons. Several builders are getting all their housing projects certified by GRIHA.
This helps to attract informed buyers looking for flats for sale in Gurgaon who do not hesitate to shell out extra amount for a green rated property to live in. It is expected that the concept shall percolate soon enough among all strata of property buyers.