India is a tropical country rich with sun light and wind energy, if many building like ITC Green Centre comes up by using the renewable energy and eco friendly materials, there will be less pressure on non renewable resources and it is every one duty to contribute for the protection of planet earth.
During her visit to ITC Green Centre, One of the first things Hillary Clinton noticed was how well ITC Green Centre was lit up inside by natural sunlight — the only other light coming from the TV crew's arc lamps..
‘‘India has many wonderful monuments like India Gate and Taj Mahal, and the ITC Green Centre is like a monument to the future. It may not be a centre stop on tourist maps, but it paves the way for energy conservation,'' Hillary remarked
ITC Green Centre, the futuristic office complex the company in Sector 32, Gurgaon, has been awarded the Platinum Green Building rating by USGBC-LEED (Green Building Council-Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The company received the award at the International Green Building Convention held in Portland, Oregon, US.
It is the highest rating in this category, and ITC Centre is now the largest Platinum-rated building in the world. The company is the first corporate house in the country to bag this award. The actual rating process is based on submission of all design documents, simulation, construction and operating intent followed by an audit and review process. Out of the 150 projects around the world that the US agency has certified so far, only seven have been awarded Platinum rating. The other three categories are Gold, Silver and Certified.
The building rating system of USGBC-LEED was set up in the US in 1993, and focuses on design and construction practices that significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on their occupants and on the environment on certain parameters such as energy efficiency and renewable energy, quality of indoor environment, conservation of materials and resources, sustainable site planning and innovation and design processes.
• The ITC Green Centre in Gurgaon, the headquarters of ITC's Hotels Business is the physical expression of this commitment to sustainability - Ecological, Social and Economic. This building is one of the world's largest green buildings with space of over 170,000 square feet and the first non-commercial complex in the country to be awarded the United States Green Building Council-Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design's (USGBC-LEED) platinum rating - the highest in the order. it is one of the few buildings to get an internationally-recognized platinum rating
• Some of the salient green features incorporated in the new building are, zero water discharge, 53 per cent energy savings over a conventional building, 40 per cent reduction in potable water use, use of treated grey water for flushing and landscaping, use of fly-ash in bricks & concrete, high efficiency equipment, eco-friendly housekeeping practices and a well designated green education programme.
• The building's unique green features include indoor air-quality system, light pollution reduction; use of recycled materials, storm water management, and superior insulation At ITC Green Centre, energy consumption has been reduced significantly through design integration. The building has been designed to maximize the effect of natural light during daytime, largely eliminating the need for artificial ones. At the same time, the window glass, while allowing light inside, does not allow heat. This not only keeps the office cool from inside during the day, but also decreases the load on air-conditioners. Again, there is minimum exterior lighting to limit night sky pollution. The water consumption has dropped by 40 per cent and, with a water re-cycling plant, the building is now a zero water discharge building.
The building has followed three mantras "Reduce, Recycle and Reuse"
