sustainable habitats Livable Cities

A quarterly newsletter from the Sustainable Habitats Division of The Energy and Resources Institute
Volume 1 • Issue 1 October 2010

Dear friends,

I am extremely pleased to share with you some thoughts in the inaugural issue
of the Sustainable Habitats newsletter. This publication will highlight innovative
CONTENTS
and diverse activities, both within and outside TERI that promote a sustainable
Perspectives 2
urban future. Message from
Sustainable habitats critically require simultaneous macro and micro level Mili Majumdar
approaches. These include promoting green buildings using sustainable materials
and construction practices, as well as scaling them up to plan sustainable cities Field Notes 4
and urban ecosystems. Geographical factors and their explicit inclusion come to Case Studies of Livability
the fore when designing and constructing sustainable habitats. This is particularly in Indian Cities:
important in developing countries where vulnerable populations lack basic shelter • Auroville’s Architectural
and services. Tradition
Over 50% of the world’s population already resides in cities and it is important • Delhi Nullahs Project
for us to initiate actions that improve the quality of life through integrated urban
planning and effective environmental management. This year, UN HABITAT Discussion 6
• Sustainable Buildings
has highlighted the theme, “Better City, Better Life” for the World Habitat Day
in the Indian context
(4 October 2010). Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) selected Chitra K Vishawanath
“Impact of Urbanization on Health” as the subject for its annual World Health • Sustainable Habitats
Day. Both these themes signal the importance of promoting a higher quality of life Krishna Rao Jaisim
through measurable environmental and health benefits in our cities.
Urban sustainability means many things; its multiple dimensions include GRIHA 8
buildings, the natural environment, and the delivery of basic services, among other
Events 9
components. In India, a sustainable city entails careful management of natural
and cultural resources with economic and social realities, maintaining equity and Call for Articles 11
efficiency as well as protecting future generations, ecosystems, and resources. About TERI 12
Our cities will be a test for the future; whether we can make them productive
and healthy sites that integrate with the ecosystem, have minimal impact on the
environment, and achieve maximum efficiency of resources. There is no single
definition or uniform set of generic benchmarks for a livable city. With rapid
urbanization and an increasing percentage of the population projected to live
in cities, our relationship with the built and the natural environments we live in
must change.
All individuals have a role to play; we can address these issues from a top down
policy approach and a bottom up recognition that individual actions and behaviour
ultimately affect urban challenges, like dealing with climate change. There is an
urgent need to promote shared learning, knowledge transfers on best practices,
and lessons from around the world. It is with this in mind that the Sustainable
Habitats newsletter embarks upon a mission to disseminate information to
various stakeholders.
Without recognition of the importance of basic preparedness and appropriate
infrastructure, our cities would hardly provide an improved quality of life. Nor
would we achieve a sustainable future for humanity. We, therefore, need to strive
towards improved and sustainable habitats as an essential goal for livable cities.

Dr R K Pachauri
Director-General, TERI A TERI Publication
Perspectives
Message from Mili Majumdar
Director, Sustainable Habitats Division, TERI
T
his month, our newsletter explores the concept of
livable cities, in support of World Habitat day and
its theme— “Better City, Better Life.” In thinking
about what a livable city means, it is important to survey
global urban experiences with regard to quality of life and
issues of livability. In a city, livability involves a plethora
of issues: safety, education, hygiene, healthcare, culture,
environment, recreation, political and economic stability,
and public transport.
Mega games and sporting events can promote and pose
an obstacle to livable cities.This raises questions of livability
and how one’s city can best be showcased to outsiders.
Various cities, at different points of time, have become
more livable for their citizens when they have availed of the
opportunities to upgrade the quality of life for its residents
and visitors. To mark the 2010 Expo, the city of Shanghai
witnessed advanced planning and infrastructure upgrading.
I was privileged to be part of one of their planning exercise
held ten years ago, wherein the city had envisioned the
urban challenges that the expo would pose and started
thinking and acting on them well in advance. Similarly,
Beijing underwent huge efforts last year to prepare itself for
the Olympic Games. The question then becomes, whose
livability is being promoted—tourists, citizens, vulnerable
populations? And, how can it provide the greatest benefits
to the largest number of people?
This year the Canadian city of Vancouver hosted the
Winter Olympics. It has consistently ranked as one of the
most livable cities in the world for the multifaceted way in
which it promotes quality of life for its citizens. Nevertheless,
the city availed of the opportunity to renew and upgrade
itself for the sporting event, and as a result invested in the
Image credit: 2010, Lalit Dalal Image credit: 2010, Lalit Dalal
2 Volume 1 • issue 1  october 2010
long-term well being of its citizens. In terms of comparable
deliverables, however, Delhi continues to face widespread
criticism over the planning and construction for the
Commonwealth Games. This reflects the lack of ownership
and cohesion amongst its citizens, and perhaps a lack of
integrated planning and implementation approach on part
of the civic bodies.
We should all take pride in the opportunity that
the Games offer us to upgrade our quality of life in the
long term, rather than taking a shortsighted view of
criticisms and focusing on what has gone wrong. Although
construction for the Commonwealth Games village began
almost on time, livability of the village, its inhabitants, and
visiting athletes remains questionable after construction
has ended. The building complex has incorporated several
green and environment-friendly concepts, implemented
meticulously throughout the project implementation
process. Despite these efforts and huge investments, the
project continues to be criticized. This demonstrates that in
spite of good intentions, the success of a project lies in how
it is conceptualized and implemented, from start to finish.
It highlights the need to maintain and manage these spaces
after construction processes are completed.
Instead of dwelling on the undesirable aspects, Delhiites
should collectively demand and participate in policy and
planning priorities through properly implemented projects.
We need to take pride in our cities, and projecting our city
positively is a core component to imagining and enabling
a sustainable and livable urban future. Without availing
of the opportunities presented, we risk the undesirable
consequence of an unlivable and unsustainable city.
Image credit: 2009, John W. Burkhart
What is a livable city?
The concept of a livable city is difficult to encompass in a single definition. The term usually refers to the inhabitants’
“quality of life,” as enabled by the city. Its expanded definition includes environmental health and the well-being
of inhabitants.
In his introduction to the book Livable Cities? Urban struggles for livelihood and sustainability, Peter Evans
writes, “The coin of livability has two faces. Livelihood is one of them. Ecological sustainability is the other.
Livelihood means jobs close enough to decent housing with wages commensurate with rents and access to the
services that make for a healthful habitat…Ecological degradation buys livelihood at the expense of quality of life...
Analysing livability also means transposing political ecology debates about sustainability and social justice from
fields and forests to the streets, factories, and sewers of the built environment.”

LIVABLE CITY: Almére, Netherlands

In 2008, the municipality of Almére in the Netherlands prepared a unique sustainability framework in collaboration with
architect William McDonough to guide its future urban development. The principles envision an ecologically, socially,
and economically sustainable city by 2030.They encourage economic, social, and ecological diversity, connecting place
and context to improve relationships amongst urban communities, and raising awareness of the complex relationships
between humans, natural, and built environments. They also highlight the importance of flexibility and resilience in
order to anticipate future challenges, encourage experimentation as well as innovation to support urban processes and
infrastructure, and promote cradle-to-cradle solutions for ecological, environmental, and social health. The Almére
Principles emphasize empowering inhabitants and encouraging their participation to make the city.
(Source: The Almére Principles)

TERI Research – ‘An exploration of sustainability in the provision of basic urban services in
Indian cities’
In 2008, TERI began its first ever work on an integrated approach to sustainability issues and solutions in Indian
cities. Comprising a team of experts drawn from various sectors, this project explored sustainability in provision of
basic urban services in Indian cities as a first and key step to making Indian cities sustainable.

The aim of the study was to achieve the following.

• Identify what sustainability in each sector implies
• Propose a framework of parameters and indicators to assess sustainability of these sectors
• Analyse the existing situation in Indian cities with regard to the identified parameters
• Propose recommendations with supporting policy, legal and organizational arrangements, and data and capacity
requirements in order to operationalize the identified sustainability related parameters in Indian cities for each
sector

The study examined the following urban sectors.

• Water and wastewater
• Solid waste management
• Transport
• Buildings
• Power
• Governance

The study devised definitions of sustainability per sector as well as detailed recommendations for policy-makers to
increase the sustainable provision of these services. The final report released in April 2009 was well received by the
Government of India and has been widely disseminated amongst state and city governments.

Volume 1 • Issue 1  october 2010 3

FIELD NOTES
Case Studies of Livability in Indian Cities
  Auroville’s Architectural Tradition
L
ocated in Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry) on
India’s Coromandel Coast, the town of Auroville
is a model for environmentally sustainable building
practices in India. Rooted in a tradition of environmental
activism, architects focus on sustainable construction,
green buildings, environmental management, and planning
priorities. Given its diverse population and a growing
international community, it serves as an experimental site
to implement sustainable practices.
Auroville was founded in 1968 and promotes the vision
of The Mother from the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. It is known
globally for its work to promote social and environmental
sustainability. Auroville is unique in its successful attempts
at promoting sustainable practices and ecologically-
responsible living in India, dating to the 1960s when
residents began planting trees to revitalize the land and
promote rainwater harvesting. This legacy has fostered a
space to explore innovative solutions that address global
challenges such as deforestation and energy and resource
management. The town promotes sustainable building and
construction practices in the context of an environmentally
sustainable township.
Auroville has benefited from being small, with low levels
of urbanization. However, planners face the challenge of
crafting a master plan for a town of 50 000 Indian and
international inhabitants, which tends to conflict with existing
land use and human settlement patterns. Architects and
design consultants have set up an Integrated Green Practices
4 Volume 1 • issue 1  october 2010
Image credit: Auroville Green Practices Portal
Portal website to serve as a knowledge sharing resource. It
seeks to engage practitioners from around the world who are
interested in participating, learning or implementing similar
goals of ‘environmentally-responsible living.’ The website
encourages global engagement to implement Auroville’s
vision of environmental responsibility into a reality.
The Auroville tradition of experimentation and practice
reflects the creativity and innovation of its inhabitants,
and reflects the benefits of constructing freely without
‘stifling building regulations.’ Many architects here
focus on ensuring that materials and processes are as
environmentally-sensitive and sustainable as possible.
They are known to use a range of building technologies
and forms. Community participation guides sustainable
construction practices in the town and stems from a legacy
of environmental awareness. The tradition integrates a
variety of styles, which seek to minimize ecological impact
and, therefore, enhance the quality of life of inhabitants.
Construction practices and plans range from building
thatch houses with reinforced concrete, single homes,
apartment complexes, and public buildings. Indigenous
materials and knowledge traditions are used and adapted
while experimenting with technologies like ‘reinforced
earth blocks’ and ‘ferro-cement.’
The town’s holistic approach to habitats and livability
offers key best practices such as working with indigenous
materials and involving communities.The tradition extends
the sustainability of buildings to the community, and
reflects the benefits of integrated, future-oriented planning
to implement shared visions for a sustainable future.
learn more: green.aurovilleportal.org

The Delhi Nullahs Project
T
he Delhi Nullahs is an urban renewal project
conceptualized by architecture firm Morphogenesis.
It aims to “transform Delhi’s antique, sewage-
laden open storm water networks into a blueprint for
sustainable transport, environmental management, and
cultural interaction in cities.” It seeks to do so by reusing and
revitalizing the city’s ancient and neglected water drainage
networks.
Nullah is a Hindi term for ravines that traditionally served
as open storm water canals. The 700-year-old, 350-km-
long networks have now become increasingly problematic.
Particularly during the monsoons, these nullahs tend
to overflow with garbage as well as sewage. They emit a
strong odour, offer breeding sites for mosquitoes, and run
pollutants into the Yamuna River.
In response to these and other livability issues,
Morphogenesis began exploring how an intervention to
revitalize the nullahs would renew and ultimately transform
the surrounding spaces. Revitalizing the nullah networks
could directly address several urban challenges experienced
in the city. This would occur by transforming the nullah
network into new sites for alternative transportation,
cultural interaction, and environmental sustainability.
To address air pollution and problems stemming from
Delhi’s car dependence, the nullah network would re-
connect historically navigable spaces within the city. The
revamped network would enable alternate, sustainable
transport options; it could serve as walking or bicycle routes
and point-to-point links for mass public transport options
like metro, train, and buses. Envisioned as a green network,
trees planted alongside the nullahs would offer shade and
evaporative cooling to pedestrians, among other benefits.
Image credit: Morphogenesis Image credit: Morphogenesis
The renewed nullah networks could catalyse cultural
interactions within the city by promoting alternative
lifestyles and historic-cultural links. Given the historic
plans of the city, many major cultural venues in Delhi
could be connected via the nullahs’ alternative transport
network. Revitalized urban public areas would open up
new spaces for social and cultural interactions. Linking
historic monuments, concert halls, and art galleries would
allow citizens and visitors to navigate the city while directly
engaging with history and public art, for instance.
To address the environmental impact of improper
drainage, the nullahs could serve as a route to clean its
drain system, thereby alleviating the pressure on Delhi’s
environmental resources. The project website highlights
that, “By treating sewage on-site in micro STPs rather than
at the river, wastewater can be reused rather than discarded
into the river. If this happens, 80% of the pollution in the
Yamuna River will disappear, further allowing wildlife to
thrive again. Native plants can be used to slow the surface
runoff and allow storm water to infiltrate back into the
ground to recharge the water table rather than into the storm
sewers.” Improving the drainage network would prevent
flooding and reduce the risk of water-borne diseases.
The project promotes several quality of life parameters—
green public spaces, cultural networks, and opportunities to
walk and bicycle in the city. Combining planning and renewal
to create hygienic, environmentally sustainable, and livable
spaces is a crucial, creative endeavour for India’s capital. The
renewed nullahs could transform Delhi into a more livable
city from multiple practical dimensions—using existing
waste systems and underused land to recycle and recreate.
Restoring these nullahs is an opportunity to revitalize and
strengthen Delhi’s historic networks for a sustainable future,
driven by alternative and democratic engagement within
the city.
learn more: www.delhinullahs.org
Image credit: Morphogenesis
Volume 1 • Issue 1  october 2010 5
DISCUSSION

Chitra K Vishawanath is the Managing Director of Biome Environmental

Solutions Pvt. Ltd. She completed a Nigerian National Diploma in Architecture in
1984 and a Bachelor of Architecture from the Centre for Environmental Planning and
Technology in Ahmedabad, India in 1989. Since the beginning of her career, Chitra has
been an ardent ecological architect with a commitment to sustainable architecture. Her
practice has spanned 15 years and she has executed close to 500 residential, institutional,
and tourism projects. Chitra is an advisor with the non-governmental organization
(NGO) KILIKILI, which works with the city and parents groups to further the cause of
inclusive play in public parks and spaces.

Sustainable Buildings in the Indian Context

A
s we try to encourage the sustainable building
movement across India based on our experiences
over the last 20 years, here are some points to
consider:
The sustainable movement seems to have developed a focus
on institutional buildings; emphasis should also be placed
on homes and residences across India. Individual, single
storey, and double storey residences are mushrooming in
areas where infrastructure and employment opportunities
exist. This is a large base, which certainly needs to follow
sustainable principles.
Sustainable local resources—materials, labour, and
skills—need to be mapped and used. We have found earth
to be a wonderful material; incorporating it into design and
construction, for example by scooping earth out from a
basement and making earth blocks or rammed earth, can
achieve great savings on energy and ecological resources.
Skill sets in sustainable buildings need to be developed
at stages including design, engineering, and construction to
respond to the need.
Externalities of the damage that building materials cause
need to be addressed through local sustainable sourcing:
mining of sand from riverbeds, damage to lakes and tanks
from brick making, and the use of wood from old forests,
for example. The market price of materials should account
for ecological costs and the miner/manufacturer should in
turn invest in sustainable mining/manufacturing practices.
The socio-economic benefits and economic stimulus
that sustainable buildings bring should be highlighted to
win greater support from policy-makers. Employment
opportunities created in earth buildings offer greater value
addition to labour through improved wages for improved
skills; they are also less detrimental to health since it does
not involve painting.
Sustainable buildings have to be encouraged through
local building by-laws, which permit and make legal all
components of the design and materials. In Bengaluru,
basements used to be ‘illegal’ for residential homes; now,
they have been ‘legalized’ but not in a focused manner, such
as with design requirements that encourage the use of the
scooped-out earth.
Financial incentives come through serendipity such as
less property tax on buildings built with earth and tiles—
considered part of a poor man’s home. These need to be
incentivized by capturing the positive externalities and the
inherent benefits they bring to society, and transferring
some of the benefits to the building owner. These can be
through soft loans or tax breaks.
Local resources such as water (through rainwater
harvesting), wastewater (through wastewater treatment and
recycling), and energy (through solar, wind, biogas, and os
on) can all be optimized; but, the scale of sustainability
needs a larger framework of encouragement. For example,
rainwater harvesting being mandated in Bengaluru has
enabled its incorporation into all buildings, while saving
considerably on water requirements and reducing the
ecological footprint.
In short, social, technical, institutional, financial, legal, and
ecological frameworks must be simultaneously developed
and made to work together to ensure sustainable buildings
on a greater scale.

6 Volume 1 • issue 1  october 2010

 Krishna Rao Jaisim is a professor, patron, and founder of the architecture firm
Jaisim-Fountainhead. He graduated from the Madras Christian College School in 1961
and worked under Sri Krishna Chitale at L M Chitale & Sons, Chartered Architects from
1966–1970. In 1970, he founded Jaisim-Fountainhead, which expanded rapidly and
won numerous awards. He established Jaisim-Fountainhead Projects Pvt. Ltd in 2001
to promote architectural practices and alternative approaches. Jaisim is the recipient of
several awards, including the JK Award-Architect of the Year: 1992 and the Lifetime
Achievement Award: 2007 from CNBC Awaaz. He has presented and published
over 150 papers.

Sustainable habitats

I
n 2000, a whole new scenario opened up in India.
If one reflected on the early part of the last century,
the word ‘architecture’ was only a conversation piece
amongst the elite. People were not aware of it; at best, they
heard whispers of parks, palaces, and Luxor as spaces of the
privileged. In India, the study of architecture was evident
only in the thirties, stuttered in the fifties, bloomed in the
eighties and nineties, and now strains to explode through
schools all over the country. It is immaterial whether there
are teachers to teach and students to study; the demand for
architects in their various avatars—from urban designers to
interior designers—is growing at unthinkable speeds. One
can hardly tread carefully; it is a rush to outdo each other.
Art and technology whose integration is the very essence
of architecture are barely able to hold each other’s hands,
leave alone their minds. Amidst this rush, a new awareness
and consciousness cropped up. Intellectual minds and the
media emerged out of its slumber to ask the question—
what are we doing to our environment?
Population explosion and urbanization became
buzzwords. For the first time, bureaucrats and politicians
were at a total loss. Independent India shifted gears and
surged into automatic without any comprehendible
rhyme or reason. As the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
grew, people en masse shifted classes and their anchors.
Agriculture was no longer the diktat. Yes, the monsoons
still play a part, but it is more political than actual reality.
Urbanization, not only of the major metropolises, but also
of second and third tier cities has surged with such rapidity
that the process of metamorphosis lost control. Everyone
was everywhere—the carpetbagger to the opportunistic
politician and the rule-binding bureaucrats made hay.
Industry and business egged by media and marketing gurus
were on 24 x 7, anything anytime as long as there was a quick
buck to be made. This was the time realtors, like vultures,
had been waiting for. They swooped in, encouraged by the
moneybags and banks, to grab and exploit any land within
sight while naïve people were pushed. Easy loans with
low interest rates bonded the simple human for life. Like
herds, they were pushed into condominiums and low and
high rises. If any showed a sense of discernment, they were
placated with Interior design changes, external landscapes,
and clubs that filled their egos.
Habitat—what is it all about? Ekistics—the science and
art of human habitation for decent living could only smile.
What is a neighbourhood—what are values that make life
worth living? How is the human different from all other
creatures on this Earth? He is the only creature who needs
care, clothing, and shelter apart from the five elements and
in addition entertainment and the will to live a full life.
One cannot guarantee joy and happiness. But, it is certainly
possible to have a healthy living environment. Why and
what makes an Indian keep his/her home clean within,
and so dirty, filthy, and shabby beyond? Questions keep
racing and coherence and disconnect creep in. Where does
one start and how does one sustain what one somehow
has managed to design and give positive meaning to? What
is the architects’ role? Can he make a difference? Will the
builder–realtor–politician nexus even dream of allowing
this? There are too many questions and hurdles. Answers are
few and far between. But, the challenge must be appreciated
and faced. This is one profession with the ability to make
abstraction fuse with reality. It is this value-add to every
human family that will make any proud individual’s soul
to shout—yes, it is worth living. From the poorest through
the middle class to the riches, home is where the heart is.

Volume 1 • Issue 1  october 2010 7

GRIHA

The Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) is the National Rating System of India.
It was conceived by TERI and developed jointly with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy,
Government of India. It is a green building ‘design evaluation system,’ suitable for all kinds of buildings
in different climatic zones of the country. Seventy projects have been registered by GRIHA and the
GRIHA
rating is currently used to evaluate institutional, commercial, and residential buildings.

Message from Siva Kishan

CEO of GRIHA

T
he GRIHA Secretariat in ADaRSH is organizing
a series of Training Programmes on GRIHA and
integrated approach to designing green buildings.
ADaRSH’s activities are supported by the Ministry of
New and Renewable Energy, Government of India. The
programmes, started in Delhi, were very popular with
participants and there was keen interest in taking them to
other cities and towns in the country.
Over the last one year, we have conducted ten programmes
of which four were in Delhi and one each in Pune,
Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Kolkata.
Five hundred building professionals have been trained in
GRIHA. Our programmes also give an opportunity for
qualified professionals with requisite experience to enroll
with GRIHA as a Trainer or an Evaluator after taking the
relevant exams.
GRIHA is enabling committed and competent building
professionals to take the message of green buildings
forward through the trainer and evaluator certifications.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy gives financial
support to conduct green building programmes. GRIHA
certified professionals can seek support and organize
GRIHA programmes in their own right with the technical
support of the GRIHA Secretariat.
With nearly hundred qualified trainers and close to
eighty evaluators, we have ambassadors for GRIHA in many
towns and cities across India. Our growing pool of certified
professionals are engaging with local communities and
governments in changing the way new constructions happen
in this country. Many city governments are considering
policy measures to promote green buildings within their
jurisdiction.
The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation
(PCMC) has come forward to promote green buildings
with tax incentives. GRIHA Rating is chosen as the basis
for disbursing the incentives. A stakeholder meeting
was held on 21 September 2010 at the Auto Cluster
Exhibition Auditorium in Pimpri with stakeholders seeking
feedback on the PCMC’s proposed measures, which were
enthusiastically received by the participants.

Recent GRIHA-rated buildings

POLICE TRAINING SCHOOL,
TASGAON, MAHARASHTRA
Institutional building, received a
5-star rating
>>

SUZLON ENERGY LTD,

PUNE, MAHARASHTRA
Commercial building, received a
5-star rating
<<

learn more: www.grihaindia.org

8 Volume 1 • issue 1  october 2010

 EVENTS

GRIHA Trainer and Evaluator Workshops

GRIHA offers trainer and evaluator workshops to train
professionals on the rating system as well as certify them as
GRIHA trainers and evaluators. As of 12 August 2010, there
were a total of 80 GRIHA trainers and 99 GRIHA evaluators.
The complete lists of GRIHA trainers, evaluators, and their
locations are available online at www.grihaindia.org

  Upcoming GRIHA Evaluator and Trainer Workshops

Location TENTATIVE dates

Pune 10, 11, 12 November 2010

Bengaluru 24, 25, 26 November 2010

Chennai 8, 9, 10 December 2010

Certified trainers and evaluators from recent GRIHA workshops held in Mumbai and New Delhi.

Events

OCTOBER 2010 NOVEMBER 2010

27–29: Delhi International Renewable Energy
Conference, “Up scaling and mainstreaming renewables
for energy, security, climate change, and economic
development,” India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater
Noida.
19–20: “Building livable cities: the vision for future Indian
cities,” India International Centre, New Delhi.
1: TERI and BMTPC Conclave, “Preparing for an urban
future: resilience, sustainability, and leadership,” India
Habitat Centre, New Delhi. For information, email:
sunil.kumar@teri.res.in.
DECEMBER 2010
3–5: Urban Mobility India Conference and Exhibition,
“Sustainable urban transport: accessible and inclusive
cities,” India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

Volume 1 • Issue 1  october 2010 9

 Ministry of New & Renewable Energy
Government of India GRIHA

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GREEN BUILDINGS

7–8 JANUARY 2011
STEIN AUDITORIUM, INDIA HABITAT CENTRE
NEW DELHI

The first GRIHA conference was held on 4 January 2010 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. It was attended
by over 400 professionals from different disciplines like architecture, engineering, construction management,
and so on. The conference focused on the micro and macro aspects of developing green buildings and habitats.
This year’s conference builds upon previous year’s themes and includes a parallel two-day exhibition on green
building materials.

TENTATIVE AGENDA
7 January 2011 8 January 2011
10:30–10:30 Inaugural Session 10:00–10:30 GRIHA updates and open forum with ADaRSH and
10:30–11:15 Inauguration of Exhibition followed by Tea MNRE
11:15–11:30 Keynote speech by an Industry Captain 10:30–11:00 Tea
11:40–13:30 Technical Session I: Innovative Strategies and 11:00–12:30 Technical Session III: Green Design for Affordable
Technologies for Green Habitats Housing
1:30–14:30 Lunch 12:30–13:00 Presentation on the Power of Conservation
14:30–16:30 Technical Session II: Power of Integrated Approach 13:00–14:00 Lunch
to Design: Economics, Environment, and Education 14:00–15:30 Technical Session IV: Conserving and Transforming
16:30–17:00 Tour of exhibition, Tea and closure the Existing Buildings for the Future
15:30–16:00 Tea
16:00–17:00 Valedictory
17:15–17:30 Closing Session

For more information, please contact:

Kamal Kishor
ADaRSH, Core 6C, Darbari Seth Block, IHC Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110 003
Tel. (+91 11) 2468 2100 and 2468 2111 • Web: www.grihaindia.org

10 Volume 1 • issue 1  october 2010

 CALL FOR ARTICLES
Theme: Vol. 1 (2), January 2011 – ‘Climate Change
and Sustainable Habitats.’

Content: Case studies (300 words), op-eds (500

words), events (100 words) relating to sustainable
urban development and green building sciences. TERI
reserves the right to edit and remove information prior
to publishing the newsletter.

Submissions: E-mail your original text as word

(.doc) files with a 100-word author bio and profile
photograph. Original images and photographs in 300
dpi JPEG format can be sent to shriya.malhotra@teri.
res.in with the subject: ‘Newsletter Submission.

Deadline: 1 December 2010

CONTACT
Shriya Malhotra (Editor)
E-mail: shriya.malhotra@teri.res.in

w w w. t e r i i n . o r g
w w w. s u s t a i n a b l e - b u i l d i n g s . o r g
w w w. h i g h - p e r f o r m a n c e b u i l d i n g s . o r g
 about
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is an autonomous, not-for-profit research institute
committed to every aspect of sustainable development. It’s work ranges from providing
environment-friendly innovative solutions to rural energy problems to tackling global climate
change issues.
The Sustainable Habitats Division at TERI is comprised of the Center for Research on Sustainable
Building Science (CRSBS) and the Center for Research on Sustainable Urban Development and
Transport Systems (CRSUDTS).
CRSBS is dedicated to all aspects of energy and resource efficiency in buildings and has been
offering environmental design solutions for habitat and buildings of various complexities and
functions for nearly two decades. It consists of architects, planners, engineers, and environmental
specialists who specialize in urban and rural planning, low energy architecture and electro-
mechanical systems, water and waste management and renewable energy systems. A regional
center in Bangalore has been set up to facilitate development and mainstreaming of sustainable
buildings, improve performance levels of existing buildings, and raise awareness on sustainable
buildings in Southern India. CRSBS supports GRIHA, a group of engineers and architects
dedicated to rating resource efficient buildings that meet specific requirements.
CRSUDTS works extensively on various urban issues with an aim to promote sustainable urban
development. It was established in 1999 in response to the growing urban demands, particularly
in the urban infrastructure sectors. CRSUDTS is involved in research related to urban transport
and sustainability issues. It’s activities range from carrying out energy-environment related
analysis, giving inputs to policy and planning, improving urban service provision and governance,
carrying out sustainability assessments, exploring climate change implications and carrying out
capacity building for various stakeholders, all in the context of the transport and urban
development sectors.

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CONTACT
Sustainable Habitats Division, The Energy and Resources Institute
Darbari Seth Block, IHC Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110 003, India
Tel. (+91 11) 2468 2100 and 4150 4900 • Fax (+91 11) 2468 2144 and 2468 2145
For more information visit our websites: <www.teriin.org>, <www.sustainable-buildings.org>, and
<www.high-performancebuildings.org>