Embracing Sustainability: The Growing Importance of Green Building Certifications
Today’s world is aware, smart, and perceptive enough to make choices that do more good than harm to the environment. With environmental consciousness being a top concern, the construction industry has joined the sustainability movement by embracing eco-friendly and prefab building methods and practices instead of resource-intensive conventional construction.
The construction industry, especially in India, is focusing on adhering to green building norms to do their part in environmental conservation. In this blog, we’ll explore Green Building Certification like IGBC, GRIHA, and LEED certifications and how partnering with Nest-In for prefab construction requirements can help companies embark on the right path.
What Are Green Buildings?
Green buildings are constructed (and maintained) with processes that are resource-efficient, eco-friendly, and have a lower carbon footprint than traditional construction methods. These processes primarily utilise technologies and practices that are sustainable, renewable, and low-carbon in nature.
These practices are maintained across the lifecycle of a green building, and are incorporated from planning and design to construction and operations, and carried over during maintenance as well.
The concept of green buildings and their careful and accurate execution are especially important in today’s day and age to help reduce the excessive dependency on natural resources such as water and energy, as well as the high amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with the global construction industry as a whole and the Indian construction industry as well .
Next, let’s explore what green building certifications are, why they are important, and various certification bodies.
Green Building Certifications: Embracing a New & Sustainable Future in Construction
Green building certifications are a type of rating tool that is used to assess, recognise, and reward buildings or structures that have been constructed and maintained according to certain official standards of sustainability. Companies that meet these standards or requirements are officially recognised by the green certification body, and receive a reward or incentive.
Let’s delve into why these certifications are becoming indispensable in the construction landscape.
One of the most compelling reasons for the growing importance of green building certifications is their tangible environmental benefits. For instance, if we compare RCC construction with Nest-In’s prefab construction processes, our prefab structures require 65% fewer material sources, consume 48% less fresh water, and reduce greenhouse gas impacts by a significant 53%. These statistics underscore the immense potential of green building practices in mitigating the environmental impact of construction activities.
Moreover, green building certifications incentivise the use of recyclable materials such as steel, further minimising the carbon footprint associated with construction and at the end of product lifecycle. Steel, a vital component in Nest-In’s prefab buildings, is not only durable but also highly recyclable. By incorporating such steel into the structure, green buildings contribute to the circular economy while reducing dependence on non-renewable resources.
Green Building Certifications Bodies
Today, there is more than one Green Building Certification known to the world. One of the most popular certification bodies is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED Certification), developed and issued by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It provides an overall framework for the design, construction, and operation of green buildings. With such keen observations, LEED certification has become the top-notch certification to label a building as sustainable or green.
Besides LEED, Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) is another notable green building certification in the sustainable construction realm which originated in the UK. Furthermore, Green Globes is another known green building certification that offers a flexible certification approach.
In India, the main green building certification bodies are:
- Indian Green Building Council (IGBC)
- Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC)
- Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA)
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED India)
India stands third in the world for LEED certification in 2023 and is emerging as a global leader. Additionally, India is also a leader in LEED Zero certifications, which recognise projects that have achieved net-zero status in carbon, energy, water, or waste. India has 45% (73 out of 150) of all LEED Zero-certified projects globally, outperforming the US and China.
Embark On a Path to Green Building Certification
The growing importance of green building certifications reflects a broader shift towards sustainable practices like prefab construction. By prioritising environmental stewardship and resource efficiency, green buildings offer a compelling solution to the challenges of climate change and urbanisation.
As India is striving towards a more sustainable future, green building certifications serve as a beacon of hope, guiding the construction industry towards a greener, healthier, and more resilient built environment. Nest-In is a leader in offering sustainable prefabricated construction solutions in India, and is a suitable implementation and execution partner for constructing prefab structures that can grant companies a green building certification. Explore Nest-In's wide range of sustainable prefab structures here.
Posted in Nest-In on Apr 15, 2024.
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