Green Buildings Lure Premium Buyers

Green seems to be the latest buzzword in the construction industry. “There are 1,046 green projects currently underway across India,” said Shabbir Kanchwala, vice-president, project coordination, K Raheja Corp, which is developing six commercial green projects in Mumbai. “Spaces in these buildings cost marginally more than regular projects.”

“Today a green property is priced 2-25% higher, depending on the rating,” said Gulam Zia, national director, research, Knight Frank. “The ratings are based on guidelines set out by Leed-India, run by the Indian Green Building Council and based on a system developed by TERI and the ministry of new and renewable energy.”

As recently as 2000, buyers had to pay about 30-40% higher for green buildings.

“Though the initial cost for developing a green building may be higher than that of conventional buildings, the long-term benefits are many. This extra cost can be recovered in 2-3 years through energy savings and low maintenance costs,” said Brotin Banerjee, managing director and CEO, Tata Housing.

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Source: Hindustan Times, 2011-04-25, Link

Green building space at 648 mln sq ft

The country’s green building space has been growing exponentially since 2003 when it started with a registered green built-up area of 20,000 sft to the current level of 648 million sft. The figures suggest an average of 40-fold increase each year over the last eight years.

According to S Raghupathy, who heads the CII Godrej Green Business Centre (GBC) here, India now has a variety of certified and registered green buildings including airports, convention centres, hospitals, hotels, banks, factories and government buildings.

Green buildings save 40-50 per cent in energy and 20-30 per cent of water. Among intangible benefits are enhanced ventilation, better views and day lighting.

India currently has 1,050 registered green buildings and 147 certified ones, the CII Godrej GBC said in a release on Friday (April 22), which is observed as the Earth Day worldwide.


Raghupathy said green buildings are financially attractive. “For a platinum rated green building, the construction cost would be five to eight per cent higher but the incremental cost gets paid back in three-four years,” he said.


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Source: Business Standard, 2011-04-25, Link

Modern Vision for a New China in One World Trade Center

China Center New York unveiled its high-profile interior concept design, "Folding Garden" for its future home at One World Trade Center. Once in place, the vertical Chinese garden folding through 64th to 69th floors provides an extraordinary space for Chinese and U.S. business leaders to build relationships and provides a dramatic showcase for the rise of modern China.

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"The China Center Space will boldly combine culture and business," said Weng Ling, the art director. "It is both aesthetic and functional."

As a leader in green development, Mr. Feng Lun has pledged to build China Center as a LEED platinum space, the highest standard for green interior design as established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

China Center New York LLC is the unequivocal platform for China-U.S. business and cultural exchange. In 2009, it became the first corporate tenant for the iconic redeveloped One World Trade Center tower and set to move in 1 WTC in 2014.

Source: Digital Journal, 2011-04-14, Link

NSW Gov urged to green audit all its buildings

An environmental audit of every building the NSW Government owns or occupies would provide an opportunity to make cost savings, improve the performance of building stock, says the Green Building Council.

“The Green Building Council of Australia welcomes the O’Farrell Government’s timely approach to tackling many of the challenges facing NSW, but notes that an environmental audit of every building the NSW Government owns or occupies is missing from the 100 Day Action Plan,” says the GBCA’s Chief Executive, Romilly Madew.

“We encourage the new NSW Government to undertake a full, holistic environmental audit of all the buildings it owns or leases, using the eight categories of the Green Star environmental rating system as a guide.

“By assessing such environmental impacts as energy and water use, waste management and  indoor environment quality, the Liberal Government will gain a complete picture of the current  levels of building efficiency and identify potential cost savings and opportunities for improvement.

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Source: Architecture & Design, 2011-04-14, Link

IRENA Moves To UAE

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially become the first Arab nation in which a “truly international organisation” is based.  That organization just happens to be centered around supporting a global implementation of renewable energy. A recent statement by the UAE notes that members of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) have confirmed the nation as the agency’s official location for its base of operations.

The first session of the agency’s general assembly brought together 800 delegates from 150 nations and was attended by more than 90 ministers. According to Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Special Envoy for Energy and Climate Change, CEO of Masdar, and President of the ongoing session, IRENA’s goal is to “…accelerate the pace at which renewable energy is deployed and integrated around the globe…”

IRENA’s inception in 2009 launched the initial phases of the organisation which culminated in bringing 148 countries and the European Union together to sign the statute of the agency. According to the statement,  IRENA’s members are comprised in part by  48 African, 38 European, 35 Asian, 17 American and 10 Australia/Oceania member states.

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Source: Earth Techling, 2011-04-09, Link

Maharashtra Considers More incentives to Green Buildings

Committed to promoting green homes in the state, the Maharashtra government is considering various incentives and subsidies, including granting extra floor space index (FSI), to green projects, a top official said here Friday.

"We have many plans to encourage green homes, by giving both financial and non-financial incentives to these projects. We will give top priority in giving environmental clearances to green projects," said Valsa R. Nair Singh, the state's environment secretary.

The government would also announce reduction in the consent fee for green buildings and in some cases, even waive it altogether, Nair Singh said at a conference on eco-friendly projects, organised by the Indian Green Buildings Council (IGBC).

The government would also give a longer duration of consent validity for such green buildings, she added.

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Source: TwoCircles, 2011-04-09, Link 

Iconic Buildings Change the Skyline of India

The skylines of India's major cities are changing fast as iconic new office buildings and luxury apartment blocks serve the burgeoning business elite.

In Chennai, an office complex shaped like six giant butterflies with a central spine will soon house 24,000 employees of Tata Consultancy Services, India's largest technology firm.

The huge glass and steel structure, called the Siruseri complex, cost $500 million and includes water features, landscaped gardens with 146 kinds of trees, solar panels and has a gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Chandra Sekaran, chief executive of Tata Consultancy Services, said: "It represents our scale, it represents the aspiration of our people, it represents the success of the Indian IT industry. It represents the future.

"Many of our customers who visit here for the first time are absolutely awed and impressed by what we have been able to achieve."

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Source: CNN, 2011-04-07, Link

New Delhi Airport Terminal Achieves LEED-Gold Rating

The Indian Green Building Council has awarded the vast Terminal 3 at Indira Gandhi International Airport LEED-Gold certification for new construction.

Built in just 37 months, the 5.4 million-square-foot integrated domestic and international terminal opened in July 2010 and is designed to handle as many as 34 mln travelers a year, more than doubling the facility's previous capacity.

Indira Gandhi International is the second largest airport in India and the eighth largest in the world. Designed by HOK International, Terminal 3 is the first airport building in the country to receive a LEED-Gold rating. Earlier, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad received a LEED-Silver rating.

Terminal 3 at the international airport in Delhi emphasizes natural light, construction materials and interior finishes with high recycled content and battery-operated vehicles for transporting travelers between terminals.

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Source: GreenBiz.com, 2011-04-07, Link

Works to be Done - To Raise the Appreciation of Green Building in Philippines

GREEN buildings" in the Philippines still have a long way to go.

If we are to go by the experience of Zuellig, whose pre-certified green building development is fast rising at the intersection of Makati avenue and Paseo de Roxas, it would not be difficult to conclude that the market has yet to fully appreciate the benefits of living in a green building.

Chickie Locsin, marketing and communications manager for developer Bridgebury Realty Corp. which is developing the building owned by the Zuellig Group, said takeup of the Zuellig development is relatively slow with interested locators surprised by the premium rates compared to the typical asking rates of prime office spaces in the Makati central business district.

The Zuellig building is the first building to have been pre-certified under the GOLD standard by certifying organization Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED), the green building standard that was developed and approved by property market players that are part of the US Green Building Council. It is one of the two most adopted standards globally, together with the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREAM) of the UK Green Building Council, based on the study of property consultant CB Richard Ellis.

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Source: Malaya, 2011-04-07, Link

The Very First Green Facility of Coca-Cola in Philippines

THE very first green facility of Coca-Cola in the Philippines will soon be operational, a high-ranking company executive said.

Located in Misamis Oriental, some 20 km east of Cagayan de Oro City, the Villanueva plant is expected to be operational in a couple of months.

Besides being able to generate jobs in the area, the Misamis Oriental plant also boasts of being Coca-Cola's first green building in the country.

The softdrink company has installed systems that catch rainwater from its roofs and its lighting systems use environmentally-friendly LED (light-emitting diode) technology, among others.

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Source: SunStar, 2011-04-05, Link

P&W Shanghai LEED Platinum Rated

The U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Green Building Council, along with the China Green Building Conference, have awarded the Shanghai Engine Center with Leadership on Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification. The joint venture of Pratt & Whitney and China Eastern Airlines becomes the first facility in China to receive the Platinum rating. U.S. Green Building Council CEO Rick Fedrizzi says that the Shanghai center “will serve as a leading example for other facilities within China when pursuing energy saving integration with operational efficiency.” More than 5,000 sites are LEED-certified throughout the world, while only five percent have achieved the Platinum rating.


Source: Aviation Today, 2010-04-01, Link

Contest to Spur 'Green Sparks'

THE Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and City Developments Limited (CDL) have joined hands to organise a first-of-its-kind competition to generate green ideas that existing buildings in Singapore can adopt.


The inaugural BCA-CDL Green Sparks Competition has attracted about 120 student participants from five local tertiary institutions. The challenge is to enhance green features of Fuji Xerox Towers, which attained Green Mark Gold award under the BCA Green Mark Scheme.


Ideas that participants come up with should qualify Fuji Xerox Towers for the highest accolade under the BCA Green Mark Scheme - the Green Mark Platinum status.


Participants, in teams of five to 10, are to submit a retrofitting proposal. The best eight entries will be shortlisted for the final competition on Aug 19, when teams will present their projects to the judges.


The judging criterion include energy savings and environmental benefits, feasibility and cost effectiveness of ideas, creativity, replicability and presentation.


Leading the panel of judges is Mr Lee Chuan Seng, president of the Singapore Green Building Council. The other panellists include BCA's technology development division director Tan Tian Chong, CDL's property and facilities management general manager Lim Tow Fok, DP Architects director Tai Lee Siang and G-Energy Global director Vincent Low.


Source: The Strait Times, 2010-04-01, Link

Green Building Saves Money

THE Residences at W Singapore Sentosa Cove do not come cheap, at up to $3,000 per square foot (psf).


Thankfully, the energy bills for owners of the newly launched waterfront project promise to be a different story.


Every year, each unit is expected to save its efficient fittings in the bathrooms will cut about $400 a year in water bills for each home.


The 228-unit residential project received the Green Mark Platinum award last year. It is the highest rating the Building and Construction Authority hands out to green buildings in Singapore.


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Source: The Straits Times, 2010-03-26, Link

Singapore buildings to get leaner and greener

Singapore’s Building & Construction Authority (BCA) is set to make changes to some of its regulations to push the construction industry towards green building and greater productivity.


The mandatory minimum energy efficiency standard that must be met before a new building can receive a Green Mark certification will be raised by 10 per cent from today’s standard. The energy efficiency standards for other Green Mark levels - Gold, GoldPlus, and Platinum - will also be upped.


BCA will also increase the regulated minimum buildability score so that firms will have to use labour-efficient construction technologies. The industry regulator said that it has not yet decided on the new minimum score, which now stands at 75 - a significant climb from 61 in 2001.


‘The industry can seek government funding to build capability in areas such as prefabrication, precast technology and other construction technology to meet the new buildability requirements,’ said Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of National Development. She announced the changes in Parliament yesterday.

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Source: Eco-business, 2010-03-09, Link

Need for re-look at Green Building Rating Systems

Buildings, accounting for 30-40 per cent of global energy use, are known to be energy guzzlers. In India, buildings account for 30% of total energy consumption. With growing concerns about the increasing energy water and material use in the building sector, green building movement started in early 90s in US and Europe. However in India, it gained momentum in India a few years back only.



A green building is an outcome of a design which focuses on increasing the efficiency of resource use – energy, water and materials – while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment through better sitting, design, construction, operation, maintenance and removal. In India, a few rating systems exist currently which assesses the building design and operation on different categories like energy consumption, water consumption, material use, air quality etc. Depending on the measures taken, points are awarded under each category. Points obtained under each category are further added to arrive at the total points, which decide the final green building rating.

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Source: IndiaInfoOnline, 2010-03-04, Link

Australia green building rules revised

The body encouraging development of more environmentally friendly buildings in Australia has revised its previously negative view on PVC materials.


The Sydney-based Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) said its new system for rating the plastic should be in force by April following a review that ended in February. and considered advances made by the PVC sector.


GBCA operates the national, voluntary green star system that provides a sustainability rating of up to six stars for buildings based on credits achieved for meeting specific performance criteria.



Green Star executive director Robin Mellon said the new PVC-rating credit modifies a previous approach that largely discouraged its use.

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Source: PRW.com, 2010-03-04, Link

Pennar Forays into Green Building Business

Pennar Industries, the Hyderabad-based engineered metal products company, is entering into development of green pre-engineered steel buildings business through its subsidiary PEBS Pennar. The Rs 850 crore company has set up a facility near Hyderabad to manufacture pre-engineered steel buildings.


PEBS Pennar will compete with existing players in the pre-engineered buildings market such as Kirby Building Systems, Tata BlueScope and Zamil Steel. Pre-engineered buildings are largely used for industrial facilities, commercial centres, multi-storeyed buildings, warehouses, aircraft hangars and sports complexes.

Going forward, the company plans to integrate solar panels in the pre-engineered buildings.

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Source: My Digital FC, 2010-02-11, Link

Indonesia to Tackle Climate Change

Indonesia’s leading climate change advisor said yesterday he thinks global consensus on climate change cannot be reached, but hinted at a national strategy currently underway that would allow Indonesia to move forward on tackling the effects of environmental degradation without waiting for another round of international negotiations.



“We have prepared for the eventuality of a non-binding agreement by looking for strategies that go beyond [what was achieved at Copenhagen,]” said Rachmat Witoelar, the head of the Indonesian Council on Climate Change, which has executive power over national climate change policy. Mr. Witoelar was speaking to members of the Foreign Correspondents Club in Jakarta shortly after returning from a trip to India, where he held several closed-door meetings with his climate change counterparts in Delhi.

Indonesia – an archipelagic nation with vast forest cover and huge natural resource deposits – is one of the countries that climate change scientists say will be hardest hit by rising CO2 levels, with the poor most likely to suffer from effects such as flooding, deforestation and rising food prices due to failed harvests.


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Source: Eco Business, 2010-02-11, Link

Jakarta Administration Strengthens The Green Building Program

The change of climate as the trigger for global warming will threaten human life if there is no serious solution. Therefore, Jakarta administration in 2009 declared to reduce gas emission about 30 percent up to 2030. The policy and interest holder have made strategic steps to reduce the negative effect of climate change; for example, green building program. The same statement was expressed by Sarwo Handayani, Assistant of Development and the Environment in a discussion themed "Jakarta Initiative toward Green Building", Wednesday (2/10).


One of the programs city administration is doing to reduce the impact of climate change is the green building program implemented for story-buildings. This program can save energy, environment friendly and more economical. Among government buildings that has implemented such a program is Block G building at Jakarta City Hall and City Council Building.

Jakarta Head of Dept. of Housing and Government Building, Agus Subardono, explained that the discussion is held to strengthen the green building program. So, the agency has invited various sides such as Building Control (P2B), Public Works Department, building management and building consultants.

Naning Adiningsih, the speaker and Chairman of Green Building Council Indonesia (GBCI) highly supports the city administration program.


Source: Berita Jakarta, 2010-02-10, Link

Taking green to the world

The chief executive of the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC), Jane Henley, is to become chief executive of the World Green Building Council in April but will remain based in New Zealand. The appointment comes four years after Henley played an instrumental role in establishing the New Zealand body. Council Chairman Rob Lang says she had made an outstanding contribution to the rapid adoption of green building practices in New Zealand.


"In a short time New Zealand has gone from having no framework for green building design and construction to an established and widely supported system that has increased the sustainability of new and existing buildings."


"A large part of this can be attributed to the commitment and drive Jane brought to the role of CEO and she no doubt will make an even more impressive impact on the world stage."

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Source: NZ Hearld, 2010-02-07, Link