Tamil Nadu tops among all states with highest number of green buildings

Chennai: Tamil Nadu ranks first among the list of top 10 states in India for highest number of green buildings under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), as per the list released by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). This is the first time the list has been released in India and it ranks states in terms of gross square feet of energy and environmental design certified space overall.

LEED is a green building rating system. LEED-certified spaces use less energy and water, save money for families, businesses and communities, reduce carbon emissions and create a healthier environment for occupants and the community at large.

With an increase in the number of green buildings in the country, LEED had considered India under the section and has released the list of top ten states. Tamil Nadu topped the list with 118 projects and around 4.9 crore gross square feet (GSF) of LEED certified space, followed by Maharashtra with 205 projects and around 3.6 crore GSF and Karnataka with 149 projects and around 3.5 crore GSF.

Haryana, Delhi, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat and Punjab also made it to the top 10 states. Mahesh Ramanujam, president, USGBC said that the list would encourage the use of green rating systems for environmental designs to promote sustainable practices in more states across the country while driving enthusiasm amongst leaders to be a part of this change.