Adding another feather to its cap, IITGN campus became the first in the country to obtain a five-star Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment for Large Developments (GRIHA LD) for implementation of Phase I-A constructions. The institute improved its score of the master plan and obtained 20.36 per cent for implementation of the devised scheme. Earlier, the institute had obtained a five-star GRIHA LD score of 25.9 per cent, based on the master plan and documentation in the ‘large development’ category in 2016. As per the rating criteria, a score of 35 per cent or less qualifies for a five-star rating.
GRIHA LD intends to provide a consolidated framework for assessment of environmental impact of large-scale developments. It is a unique Indian National Rating System for green buildings to rate reduced environmental impact of large developments like educational campuses, townships, etc. It evaluates a project’s self-sufficiency based on a set of criteria such as site planning, water, solid-waste management, energy and so on. The rating system judges the overall impact of the development on its surrounding environment. Ranging from zero and 100, a lower score indicates higher environmental sustainability of the project.
IITGN has implemented a range of green initiatives and features on its campus, including transplantation of trees, low-energy sewage treatment/ root-zone treatment for sewage water treatment, water recycling, rainwater harvesting, rooftop solar photovoltaic plants, solar water heaters, passive ventilation and extensive use of natural light for energy efficiency, pedestrian-friendly campus, use of environmental-friendly materials on site (e.g. concrete roads, fly-ash bricks), solid-waste management, biogas plant and so on. It is indeed a happy moment for the institute, to be recognised for its ‘green’ and sustainable endeavours.
It is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction that the hard work and dedication of numerous colleagues and consultants have made IITGN an environment-friendly and beautiful green campus. IITGN strongly believes in preserving the ecology and environment as much as it promotes academic excellence. Low energy and resource consumption as well as low maintenance costs were among the guiding principles of campus development.
Sudhir K Jain
