A ‘green’ building is a building that, in its design, construction or operation, reduces or eliminates negative impacts, and can create positive impacts on climate and natural environment. There are several features which make a building ‘green’ e.g., efficient use of energy, water, and other resources; use of renewable energy, such as solar energy; pollution and waste reduction measures, and the enabling of re-use and recycling; good indoor environmental air quality; use of materials that are non-toxic, ethical, and sustainable; consideration of the environment in design, construction and operation, and other such features. Building sector being a major consumer of resources and producer of wastes, green buildings offer multiple benefits that can contribute in a major way towards making the cities and communities sustainable (SDG 11). Green buildings are likely to have higher construction costs as compared to the conventional buildings, but operational and maintenance cost of may be lower over the lifecycle of the building and in long-term may provide financial gains. However, the investors at the outset of project may not be able to appreciate the long-term benefits and may not be ready to pay for the higher initial cost for green buildings. This impacts the demand for green buildings as a product in the real-estate market and the developers may be reluctant to develop such buildings.
