The recent inaugural session of the 12th Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) Summit was conducted virtually, making headlines in the realm of sustainable development and urban planning. The summit presented a platform to discuss innovative technologies and solutions geared towards creating sustainable and resilient spaces for community benefit.
Theme and Purpose of the 12th GRIHA Summit
The 12th edition of the GRIHA Summit centered around the theme ‘Rejuvenating Resilient Habitats’, calling attention to the need for revitalizing urban habitats with resilience and sustainability at its core. The Summit’s primary objective was to facilitate discussions on innovative technologies and solutions that could aid in the formation of robust mechanisms for sustainable development aimed to benefit the community extensively.
Highlights of the Launch Event
During the event, the Vice President of India launched two significant publications. These include’the SHASHWAT magazine and the book titled ’30 Stories Beyond Buildings’. Both publications underline the essence and importance of green living, and demonstrate India’s commitment towards developing sustainable infrastructures.
About Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA)
GRIHA is the national rating system for evaluating completed building constructions in India. Recognized as India’s own green building rating system, it’s mentioned in India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) conceived GRIHA and developed jointly with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
Established in 1974, TERI is a non-profit research institute responsible for conducting research work in energy, environment, and sustainable development sectors. Originally known as the Tata Energy Research Institute, it was renamed The Energy Resources Institute in 2003.
Objective and Mechanism of GRIHA
GRIHA aims to assist in designing green buildings, further evaluating their ‘greenness’. It is primarily designed to help ‘assess and evaluate’ new buildings at their inception stages, and it does so based on the predicted performance over the building’s entire life cycle.
Parameters and Benefits of GRIHA
Key evaluation points used by GRIHA include site selection and planning, conservation, efficient use of resources, building operation, maintenance, and innovation points. This system, along with leading activities and processes, benefits the community by improving environment through reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, reducing energy consumption and alleviating stress on natural resources.
Other Related Initiatives
Several other initiatives complement the spirit of GRIHA, such as the Global Housing Technology Challenge (GHTC), Affordable Sustainable Housing Accelerators (ASHA), and the Smart Cities Mission. These initiatives aim to foster sustainable, green, disaster-resilient construction technologies, identify innovative materials, processes, and technology for efficient and sustainable construction, and improve local development and technology-driven outcomes for citizens, respectively. These endeavours consolidate India’s commitment to environmental sustainability and urban resilience.