LEED for existing buildings advances with new solutions

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and its partner The Energy Resources Institute (TERI), will formally launch new, technical guidance to advance LEED for Existing Buildings in India this week. This technical work will launch as part of the annual GRIHA Summit, which is being held in New Delhi.

According to release, the new guidance provides a technical path for projects pursuing LEED in India and offers incentives towards LEED credits that address geographically specific environmental priorities for India. While LEED or the LEED for existing buildings rating system is not new to India, this new approach to the existing building rating system comprehensively covers the local requirements of India.

“Existing buildings hold incredible promise,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, COO, U.S. Green Building Council. He said, “Many older buildings around the world are inefficiently using energy. It can take up to 80 years to make up for the environmental impacts of demolishing an old building and constructing a new one, even if the resulting building is extremely energy efficient. Our biggest opportunity for improvement is to retrofit our existing buildings.”

The release says, advancing LEED for existing buildings in India is a critical component of the USGBC and TERI partnership, which was formed in 2014 to accelerate the development of green, high performing buildings across India and South East Asia. Some of LEED certified buildings in India are the ITC Hotels across the country, Pathways School in Gurgaon, Oberoi Mall in Mumbai, and the Ascendas IT Park in Chennai.