CII Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), India’s premier body for green building certification and related services, and the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI) have re-signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate and work together on sustainable development projects that encourage builders and real estate developers to adopt green technologies.

The MoU was signed at a ceremony held at CREDAI’s NATCON 2024 in Sydney, Australia. It was signed by C Shekar Reddy, National Vice Chairman, CII IGBC and Boman R Irani, President, CREDAI. Also present at the signing were Jeff Oatman, Chair, Asia Pacific Network-World Green Building Council and Head of Collaboration and Membership, GBC Australia; Shekhar G Patel, President Elect, CREDAI; Himanshu Shah, Director, IGBC; and Sundeep Vullikanti, Senior Counselor, IGBC.

Speaking at the signing of the MoU, Reddy said, “The MoU with CREDAI is a significant moment as this partnership will play an important role in helping India become one of the global leaders in the sustainable built environment by 2025. We will work closely with CREDAI members across India to raise awareness on Green and Net Zero concepts and adopt suitable IGBC Green and Net Zero Rating systems for their upcoming projects.”

 As part of the agreement, CII IGBC will support CREDAI members in carrying out high-level feasibility studies for their building projects (in Design/ Construction/ Operations phase) and share improvement opportunities with a clear roadmap to achieve the IGBC Net Zero ratings. CREDAI and IGBC would also seek the support of each other’s members in local chapter activities and work closely with stakeholders in the region or state in taking forward the green and net zero building movement.

Irani signed the MoU representing CREDAI. Speaking at the event, he said, “CREDAI brings together more than 13,300 members from 230 city chapters across 21 states of India, and, together with CII IGBC, we can effectively promote sustainability in the real estate sector and contribute to a more environmentally friendly future.”

Under the association with IGBC, CREDAI continues to pledge for its commitment to have over 4,000 projects by 2030, adopting IGBC Green & Net Zero building rating systems. This will mean an addition of over 4,00,000 housing units in the green development category across the country. CREDAI and IGBC would also form a joint task force to drive initiatives which will further the cause of Green Building and Sustainable Built Environment in India. Regular updates on the activities would be shared with the members periodically. Both parties shall acknowledge and provide platforms to each other for reaching out their leadership on unique contributions and achievements in a sustainable built environment. They will explore opportunities to develop publications for mutual benefit.

M Anand, Deputy Executive Director, CII IGBC, speaking on the MoU and the partnership between the two leading industry associations, stated, “This association will prove very beneficial to India and will help the country benefit. By leveraging their respective strengths, IGBC and CREDAI can create a powerful alliance that drives the green and net zero building movement in India, resulting in significant economic, social, and environmental benefits for the country.”

 This MoU between CII IGBC and CREDAI is for a period of 3 years, which will be renewed for another 3 years on mutual terms. IGBC encourages innovation in building technologies, materials, and design practices that support net zero goals. It promotes research and development in sustainable building solutions and technologies. It also fosters collaboration among various stakeholders, including industry experts, Government bodies, and academic institutions. This collaborative approach helps in sharing knowledge, experiences, and solutions related to net zero buildings.

CII IGBC’s Mission on Net Zero envisions to achieve 100 percent net zero embodied carbon by 2050 for new buildings and infrastructure and work towards making all buildings, including existing buildings, net zero operational carbon. Its Net Zero Carbon Rating System promotes the use of low-embodied carbon materials and technologies and on-site or off-site renewable energy sources, and adherence to a Whole Building Life Cycle Analysis. The rating system addresses projects in both ‘Design & Construction’ and ‘Operations’ phases. This approach allows tailored strategies for minimizing or eliminating carbon emissions at different project stages.

For more information: www.igbc.in, www.credai.org