The ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) has introduced the Griha rating system for buildings to assess green architecture. Buildings that qualify will not only get a certificate, but also some incentives. Urban local bodies that manage to promote such green buildings will also get a fair incentive.

MNRE principal scientific officer Dilip Nigam on Monday announced at the Griha guidelines training programme, the incentives that will be declared from January for green building constructors and ULBs. Architects who qualify for ratings for buildings with less than 5,000 sqm will get Rs 2.5 lakh, while the ones measuring more than 5,000 sqm will get Rs 5 lakh. ULBs who promote green buildings by announcing rebates will get up to 50 lakh.

There will be an award system also for municipal corporations for overall performance in this sector. They will be awarded Rs 50 lakh, while other local bodies will get Rs 25 lakh. "This system is important because it is applicable to all climatic conditions in India. I know there are other rating systems, but those are western. The scheme is in the final stage and the papers will be ready by January,'' he said.

The rating system focuses on site planning, selection, soil conservation, biodiversity preservation, reduced air pollution during construction, reduced water requirement, reduced energy consumption, improvization of renewable energy sources, water recycling and recharging and many more.

"The Griha national rating system has vast, all-encompassing criteria. It even looks at how the building is reusing grey or dirty water, whether it is using the most efficient equipments or not,'' Minni Mehrotra, research associate, TERI, said. A lot of emphasis in Griha is on design interventions like using natural light and wind play to make a comfortable house.