Green is in: Front view of the CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre in Hyderabad

Two wind towers and a unique structure in between have given a new identity to the city of the four minars. Some 20 kilometres away from Charminar and just past the hi-tec city is the greenest building in the world. It is called the cii-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre and it has been developed jointly by the CII, the government of Andhra Pradesh (by way of free land allotment) and Pirojsha Godrej Foundation with technical support and "strategic inputs" from usaid. Apart from being the first 'Platinum' rated green building outside the United States, this is a forerunner of futuristic facilities management that a clutch of companies (see Soon, They'll Be Green Too) is already striving to emulate.

Self-sustaining power: Solar panels using sunlight generate 110-120 units of power per day

Built over 20,000 sq. ft. in a five-acre plot in a somewhat water-scarce region, the green building provides enough water and sustenance for lawns, nurseries and ducks floating in treated water. It cost some Rs 10 crore to build, and if that sum looks too big for a 20,000 sq. ft. building, the rationale is that it is a "demonstration building'' aimed at popularising the concept of green buildings in Asia. The yardstick by which it attained the green tag is simple. The Platinum rating came from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), under its LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) programme; there are two other Platinum buildings in the world, both in the US. The centre, which in quick speak is sometimes referred to as the GBs (Green Business Centre), won 56 points out of a possible 69 points. This makes it the greenest in the world.

Certified too: The building is LEED platinum certified by the US Green Building Council

It is the simple emphasis on resource management (See What Makes This Building Green) that makes this building green. And the GBs, having wowed most people with its greenness, has now gotten into the act of offering consultancy and LEED building-related services. "We are offering these services to eight Indian companies from known polluting sectors and aim to help at least five achieve green status by end of 2005," says Jamshyd N. Godrej, Chairman and Managing Director of Godrej & Boyce, who is also the Chairman of GBs. All told, some 1,000 CEOs are to be roped in to the green movement (about 200 have already signed on), and the centre will help create 10 green buildings by 2006 and establish a recycling industry by 2008. For the record, although the building costs a bit, it will pay for itself, in terms of savings on power and water, in three to four years.

WHAT MAKES THIS BUILDING GREEN

Cool tower: Two wind towers reduce the load of the air conditioning system by 10 per cent » Zero water discharge and 100 per cent waste water recycling » Rainwater collection pond with capacity of 8 lakh litres » Extensive landscaping and rainwater harvesting » 88 per cent saving on lighting-maximum use of daylight and fenestration maximised on north orientation » Wind towers for fresh air intake, thermal mass and water spray resulting in 7 to 10 per cent reduction of air conditioning load » Use of renewable energy with solar photo voltaic energy meets 20 per cent of the total energy cost of the building » Use of energy saving and insulating materials » 80 per cent of building made from recycled materials like aluminum, fly ash, cement and blocks, ceramic tiles, wood, false roof and door frames

SOON, THEY'LL BE GREEN TOO

» North Delhi Power Limited, Delhi (corporate office) » ITC Centre, Gurgaon (ITC corporate office to be ready by the end of this year) » Dr Reddy's Laboratory, Hyderabad (corporate office and maybe an additional lab-work to begin soon and may be ready in 2005) » NEG - MICON India, Chennai (corporate office) » IMTMA (Indian Machine Tools Manufacturers' Association), Bangalore (exhibition centre) » Grunfos Pumps, Chennai (corporate office) » CII - Naoroji Godrej Centre of Excellence, Mumbai » Wipro, Gurgaon (office building)