19 Jul 2021
The Indian Government has set ambitious environmental targets for the next few decade and CII has been contributing to this movement by creating new benchmarks and services that facilitate seamless adoption of green concepts.
IGBC is spearheading the 21st century green building movement in India. As on date, over 6,550 green building projects, amounting to over 7.83 billion sq ft of green building footprint are adopting IGBC green standards for buildings and built environment. IGBC aspires to facilitate 10 billion sq ft of green building footprint by 2022.
In 2014, India gained the unique distinction of launching the world’s first exclusive rating system to address environmental sustainability in metro rail systems with the launch of the IGBC Green MRTS rating. Based on the success of the green metro experience, Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) has developed the rating programme for high speed rail projects to showcase the model of green transit to the world.
In June this year, CII-Indian Green Building Council unveiled the IGBC Green High Speed Rail Rating System. The Green High Speed Rail Rating System is the third important milestone in taking forward IGBC’s ‘green transit movement’ after the Green Metro and the Green Railway Station ratings.
The IGBC Green High Speed Rail (HSR) rating system has been developed exclusively to address the sustainability aspects of HSR projects. The rating is intended for high-speed rail stations, considering the fact that several aspects need to be addressed differently as compared to a metro station or railway station.
The rating system is designed to address all new HSR projects including elevated stations, underground stations, at grade stations, viaduct/ tunnel and ancillary facilities, parking and landscaped area around the station. By adopting the rating tool, HSR projects can achieve various tangible and intangible benefits including operational savings through reduction in electrical energy consumption towards non-traction upto 10% and water consumption reduction upto 30%, effective C&D waste management towards zero waste to landfill.
The green HSR projects would demonstrate more than 12,000 tonnes of carbon emissions reduction per year; intermodal commuter transport; improved station facility management and increased environmental awareness among millions of commuters. The rating system has been developed keeping in mind the requirements of UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) Corridor is a high-speed rail line connecting Mumbai with Ahmedabad and the MAHSR stations are being planned as green buildings as they will have many eco-friendly features including natural light provisions and ventilation. Rainwater harvesting mechanism, solar panels to harness solar power and wastewater treatment plants have already been incorporated in the station designs, depots and viaducts construction. Certified green building material, products and equipment will also be used for the construction of MAHSR. The stations will be integrated with other modes of transport to facilitate intermodal commuter transport.