Green building ratings in India often come in levels, a bit like medals. You may see words like Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum. Here is what they mean when you are buying your first home.
Points add up to a level
IGBC's rating systems work on points. A project earns points for features in areas such as water, energy, site planning, materials and indoor comfort. The total decides the level. More points, higher level.
Must-haves and nice-to-haves
Every rating system has some mandatory requirements. A project that misses one cannot be rated at all, however many other points it has. On top of these are optional credits, where projects pick up extra points.
Plan stage and finished stage are different
A level can be given at design stage, based on drawings. It can also be given at the end, after the building is checked. The two are not the same promise. A design-stage Gold says the plans scored Gold. It does not yet say the finished building did.
Why an advert is not proof
Anyone can print a word on a hoarding. Proof is a letter from IGBC naming the project, the level and the stage. Ask for it. It is a fair request and a good builder will share it.
Ask what earned the points
Two Gold projects can be very different. One may score well on water saving, another on energy. For your family, ask:
- Which features earned the most points?
- Which of these will lower my own bills, and which are common-area features?
- Who will maintain them after handover?
What no level can tell you
A rating does not tell you about the builder's delivery record, the legal title, or how well the residents' association will run things in year five. Those you check separately.
Turning features into rupees
A rating is easier to judge when you turn its features into your own monthly bills. The two examples below use illustrative rates. Your actual savings depend on your tariffs and your habits.
Water. India's standard IS 1172 suggests about 135 litres per person per day for homes with full flushing. A family of four would use about 540 litres a day, or roughly 16,200 litres a month. If low-flow taps and dual-flush cisterns cut that by 20%, you save about 3,240 litres a month. At an illustrative cost of ₹0.10 per litre, as you might pay for tanker water, that is about ₹324 a month, or close to ₹3,900 a year.
Power. Say better design and fittings mean your home draws 200 watts less for six hours a day. That is 1.2 units a day, or 36 units a month. At an illustrative ₹7 a unit, you save about ₹252 a month.
Neither figure is large on its own. Together, across twenty years, they add up. They also show why you should ask which features sit inside your flat and which sit in common areas.
Inside your home versus common areas
Some points come from features you use directly, such as water-saving fittings, daylight in rooms and cross ventilation. Others come from common areas, such as solar panels for lobby lights, a sewage treatment plant or landscaping. Common features help the building, but you pay for their upkeep through maintenance. Ask for both lists.
Also note that some features are required anyway. Bengaluru's water board rules already require rainwater harvesting for many buildings. A feature that the law already demands is good to have, but it is not special.
Common mistakes buyers make
- Taking a design-stage level as final. The finished building may score differently.
- Not asking for the letter. A logo on a brochure is not proof.
- Paying more just for the medal. Pay for the features you will use, not the word on the hoarding.
- Ignoring upkeep. A sewage plant or solar system needs trained people and money every year.
- Comparing levels across rating systems. Gold in one system is not the same as Gold in another.
Step by step: checking a green claim
- Ask for the IGBC letter or certificate for the project.
- Check the project name, rating system, level, stage and date on it.
- Ask for the list of credits earned, by area.
- Mark which features are inside your flat.
- Ask how the common systems will be maintained, and who pays.
- Write down the answers and keep them with your booking papers.
Your quick checklist
- IGBC letter seen, with stage noted
- Credits list received
- In-flat features listed
- Maintenance plan for common systems explained
- Delivery record and legal title checked separately
Questions to ask at the site visit
- Is the rating for this exact project and phase, or for another tower?
- Is it a design-stage or final rating, and when is the final one expected?
- Which three features earned the most points?
- What will it cost each year to run the sewage plant, solar panels and other systems?
- Will the residents' association get the manuals and service contracts at handover?
- Are the water-saving fittings in my flat the ones shown in the brochure?
Write the answers down next to your booking papers. If a feature matters to you, ask for it to be listed in the specification sheet of your agreement for sale. A feature written into the agreement is one you can hold the builder to. A feature mentioned only in a talk at the sales office is much harder to ask for later.
Finally, keep perspective. A green rating is one good sign among many. For a first home, a clear title, a RERA registration, an honest cost sheet and a builder with finished homes you can visit matter more. Use the rating to compare two sound projects, not to make a weak one look strong.
For the wider set of checks before booking any home, see our first home guide.
Reeva Properties is backed by SUYUG Infra: 4 Mn sq ft delivered, 1.5 Mn sq ft under development. You can read more about the parent company at suyug.com.