Hyderabad's RGIA is first Asian airport to receive prestigious award for green terminal building
17 Sep 2008
New Delhi: The GMR Group-built and managed Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Hyderabad has become the first Asian airport to get the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environment Design New Construction (LEED NC) Silver Rating for having a green and environment friendly terminal building.
"The Council is delighted to announce that Hyderabad airport has achieved the coveted LEED rating. This is an excellent example of how infrastructure projects can be environment friendly, the airport has put India on international map of green building," chairman of Indian Green Building Council, Prem C Jain, said announcing the award.
The RGIA, according to Jain, is the only Asian airport to get this coveted rating given by US Green Building Council (USGBC). He also said that only Delta Terminal 'A' Redevelopment and Signature Logan Terminal of East Boston in USA are the other two terminal buildings to receive the rating.
The LEED award has four categories of certification - Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum - on points basis. The building get points on sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy consumption and atmosphere, material resource, indoor environment quality and innovation and designs parameters.
The passenger terminal of RGIA, being developed by GMR Group, has a built-up area of 12,00,000 square feet. Some of its unique green features include - 100 per cent rainwater harvesting, 100 per cent grey water treatment, 23 per cent reduction in energy consumption, use of efficient chillers, lighting controls, conservation of top soil and reduced lighting power density.
"We are extremely pleased to be awarded Silver Rating under LEED NC, a culmination of our efforts to be environment friendly right from the design stage. The focus on going green has not only helped in saving, 25 per cent in energy and 30 per cent water, but has inculcated a discipline within the organisation to preserve the environment," CEO of RGIA, PS Nair said.