Question : GREEN RATING NORMS FOR BUILDINGS

(a) whether the Government proposes to make it mandatory for all new Government buildings and of the public sector undertakings to seek new green rating norms in an effort to ensure energy efficiency and tackle climate change threats;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether this initiative will only be limited to new buildings or any effort is being made to cover the old buildings so that the proposed aim of minimizing the demand for non-renewable resources and maximizing its utilisation is met in all other Government buildings; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY (DR. FAROOQ ABDULLAH)

(a)&(b): The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is promoting construction of green buildings through GRIHA, a green rating system in the Country. A decision has been taken that all new buildings of Central Government /Public Sector Undertakings would at least meet the requirements of GRIHA – 3 Star, though every effort would be made by them to achieve higher star rating wherever site conditions permit to do so. So far, 50 projects from various Government Departments, Public Sector Undertakings (PSU), Educational Institutions including All India Institutes of Medical Sciences, with a total 2.58 million square meter built up area have been registered for the construction based on green rating norms for acquiring GRIHA Ratings. In addition, eleven Evaluators & Trainers Workshops for providing training to the Architects, Engineers and Officials from Central & State Governments and PSUs including Central Public Works Department, National Buildings Construction Corporation, National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd. etc. have been organized in the country. About 115 Trainers and 92 Evaluators have been trained through these training workshops who are further promoting green buildings in the country.

(c)&(d): The GRIHA Rating System is applicable for the construction of new buildings. However, under various programmes of the Ministry, installation of renewable energy systems and devices is being promoted in the country in the existing buildings also including buildings in the Government sector.