The construction industry is one of the biggest causes of pollution across the world. With the advent of climate change and global warming, it is increasingly important to reduce the negative impacts of construction and move towards sustainable building. Organisations like the IGBC promote the green building concept in India through their certifications, providing incentives for people to construct their homes responsibly and leading a revolution in the building sector. Read on to discover the IGBC full form and learn all about IGBC certification.
What is IGBC?
The Indian Green Building Council or IGBC is an organisation formed in 2001 under the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). It aims to further the cause of sustainability in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) industry in India through its initiatives, which include providing certifications, setting standards for green buildings and offering training programmes. With numerous professionals like architects and developers being a part of the organisation, IGBC works with governmental and non-governmental agencies in India and abroad to promote eco-friendly construction concepts.
What is IGBC Certification?
The IGBC provides certificates to residential and commercial buildings under various categories. These certificates verify that a project has followed sustainable practices during different stages of building like design, construction and operation. The IGBC has set certain prerequisite conditions that must be met by a project before it can be eligible to apply for certification. These conditions ensure that building projects are executed in a responsible manner and promote sustainable building practices.
Why Get IGBC Certification?
Aiming to achieve a green building certification offers several benefits, some of the most important of which are:
- Energy and Water Efficiency: A green home results in considerable savings—of around 20-50%— on water and energy usage. The reduced carbon footprints during the construction and operation of IGBC green homes are a major promoter of the global cause of sustainability.
- Occupant Wellbeing: Well-lit, optimally ventilated and energy-efficient homes enhance the physical and mental health well-being of occupants. Better indoor air quality leads to an increase in productivity, a decrease in transmission of air-borne diseases and regulated sleep cycles, among other benefits.
- Property Value: A green building in India generally has a higher property value. This is due to the efficient planning as well as reduced operational costs involved in such a building. Apart from these, IGBC certified buildings also have a certain prestige attached to them, leading to increased property valuations.
- Government Incentives: Various incentives are provided by the national and state governments for buildings that are IGBC certified or aim to get certified. These include fast-tracking environmental clearances, providing additional FAR, subsidies on taxes and reimbursements on investments.
IGBC Rating System for Residential Construction
IGBC Scoring Parameters
The IGBC conducts assessments at different stages of a construction project, allotting points to it by evaluating the following factors:
- Site selection and planning
- Water conservation
- Energy efficiency
- Materials and resources used
- Indoor environmental quality
- Innovation and design process
The entire project life cycle in construction is carefully analysed by members of the IGBC before allotting points to determine the final rating or certification of the building, if any.
IGBC Certification Categories for Residential Construction:
IGBC provides certifications for residential construction under the following categories:
- IGBC Green Homes: Applicable for individual residential units and multi-dwelling residential units like gated communities, high-rise residential apartments, hostels, service apartments, resorts, motels and guest houses.
- IGBC Green Affordable Housing: This is applicable for houses with a carpet area of less than 60 sqm in metro cities and less than 90 sqm in non-metros. Factors like the cost, standard and quality of the housing are assessed here.
- IGBC Green Residential Societies: Pre-existing multi-unit residential societies are eligible for this category.
- IGBC NEST: Applicable for individual EWS, LIG and MIG homes with a built-up area of less than 150 sqm. Partners of the building project or financial institutions associated with it can apply for this certification.
- IGBC NEST Plus: Applicable for individual EWS, LIG and MIG homes with a built-up area of less than 300 sqm. The dwelling owners can apply for this certification directly.
IGBC Certification Levels:
The IGBC green building rating system certifies buildings at four levels:
- Platinum: 80-100 points must be achieved to obtain this certification, which is the highest level and indicates ‘global leadership’ in sustainable construction.
- Gold: Signalling ‘national excellence’, this certification requires 70-79 points to be achieved by buildings.
- Silver: 60-69 points are needed to obtain an IGBC silver certification, which depicts ‘outstanding performance’ by a building.
- Certified: Requires 50-59 points and denotes the ‘best practices’ in construction.
How to Get IGBC Certification
Stakeholders in a construction project can voluntarily opt to apply for IGBC certifications. Generally, sustainability or green building experts who are IGBC accredited are hired right at the conception of the project to ensure compliance with IGBC requirements at every level. The process of application consists of the following steps:
- Registration: Applicants must register themselves on the IGBC website, after which the necessary information regarding certificate applications is available to them.
- Form filling: Forms with all the necessary details and documents, including construction drawings, material testing reports, invoices and contracts, must be submitted along with the application fee.
- Assessment: Third-party assessors analyse all the documents submitted and provide a detailed report.
- Project evaluation: The IGBC conducts site evaluations at several stages to verify that all the necessary requirements are met. These evaluations can happen at any time and continue even after the construction is completed, to check the building’s operational efficiency. Points are allotted to the project at every phase based on different parameters.
- Certification: A final rating and certification is provided to the project based on the cumulative sum of all points awarded during the evaluations. The entire process can take several months to finish even after the construction is completed.
Construction projects can be pre-certified by the IGBC based on the provision of all the required documents. However, this rating must be revalidated every 6 months until the final rating is provided. Old buildings can also apply for IGBC certification with specific retrofitting techniques and verified operational efficiency.
Towards Sustainable Building
IGBC is the premier organisation for providing green building certification in India and maintains a good reputation worldwide. While an IGBC green building provides numerous benefits and incentives to building owners and occupants, it also promotes the broader cause of sustainable building. Aiming for an IGBC certification can significantly enhance construction practices in India and also raise much-needed awareness. Therefore, organisations such as the IGBC are invaluable assets for nation-building and development.
Apoorva H P Achar 
Hemali Patel