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From one 20,000-sq.-ft. green building to 20,012 registered projects covering 16.33 billion sq. ft., IGBC has helped place sustainability at the centre of India’s built environment

Hyderabad, August 31, 2026: The CII–Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) has completed 25 years of advancing sustainable construction and accelerating the adoption of green and Net Zero practices across India’s built environment.

Established by the Confederation of Indian Industry in 2001, IGBC has helped transform green building from an emerging concept into a mainstream development priority. Its journey began with a single 20,000-sq.-ft. green building in 2003. Today, India has 20,012 registered green projects covering more than 16.33 billion sq. ft. under IGBC’s 33 Green and Net Zero rating systems.

The movement now encompasses approximately 41 lakh residential dwelling units, over 11,770 commercial projects, more than 1,320 transit infrastructure projects, 985 industrial buildings, 271 Net Zero projects and over 190 built-environment projects.

Leaders Outline the Next Phase of Sustainable Growth

IGBC’s Silver Jubilee celebration brought together senior representatives from government, industry and the green building community to review the Council’s achievements and discuss priorities for India’s next phase of sustainable development.

The event was attended by Shri Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Deputy Chief Minister of Telangana, as Chief Guest, and Shri D. Sridhar Babu, Minister for IT, Electronics and Communications, Industries and Commerce, Government of Telangana, as Guest of Honour.

Speaking at the event, Shri Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said that sustainability must remain central to Telangana’s economic and infrastructure growth. He highlighted the state’s focus on renewable energy and resource-efficient buildings, industries and data centres.

“Sustainable design cannot be a luxury; it must become a basic standard of living. We look forward to partnering with IGBC to make green construction more affordable, scalable and inclusive and to position Telangana as a model for green and resilient growth,” he said.

Shri D. Sridhar Babu noted that IGBC has played an important role in transforming sustainability from an optional consideration into a standard development practice. He reaffirmed the Telangana Government’s commitment to institutionalising green building practices, promoting environmentally responsible industrial development and creating sustainable urban habitats.

Demonstrating Measurable Environmental Benefits

According to IGBC assessments, certified green projects achieve average savings of approximately 35% in carbon emissions, 40% in water consumption, 50% in energy use and 70% in solid waste.

The Council’s Net Zero Mission, launched in 2021, has secured commitments from more than 350 organisations. IGBC has recorded over 155 Net Zero-certified projects, while more than 271 projects covering approximately 298.4 million sq. ft. are registered under its Net Zero programmes.

The certified project portfolio has reported progress in renewable-energy generation, water conservation and recharge, and the diversion of municipal and construction waste from landfills.

Mr. Jamshyd N. Godrej, Chairman, CII Green Business Centre, said IGBC has demonstrated that environmental responsibility and business value can advance together.

“We started by demonstrating that green buildings were possible. The next challenge is to make a greener way of building the normal way of building. This will require greater innovation, stronger policy support and wider industry adoption,” he said.

From Green Buildings to Sustainable Infrastructure

IGBC’s journey is closely associated with the CII–Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre in Hyderabad, India’s first Platinum-rated green building. Inaugurated by former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in July 2004, the building achieved Net Zero Energy status in 2019.

Today, IGBC’s programmes extend beyond conventional buildings to railways, mass rapid-transit systems, high-speed rail, cities, townships, villages, logistics facilities, healthcare institutions and industrial developments.

The Council has worked with more than 2,800 government projects, trained over 60,000 professionals and established 32 local chapters across India. Thirteen state governments have introduced incentives for IGBC-certified developments.

Dr. Suchitra K. Ella, President Designate, CII, said the next 25 years should be shaped by regenerative innovation, technology-enabled sustainability and collaborative leadership. She emphasised the importance of embedding sustainability into India’s long-term growth strategy.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, IGBC released a commemorative film tracing the development of India’s green building movement and an IGBC@25 memoir dossier documenting the Council’s achievements since 2001.

Looking ahead, IGBC plans to expand the adoption of measurable and accessible green and Net Zero practices across housing, manufacturing, transportation and infrastructure—supporting its goal of making sustainable development a standard component of India’s growth.