2017 Sustainable Building Awards

BUILD / Sustainable Building Awards 2017 15 Contact Email: [email protected] Address: Mindspace Opp. Airoli Railway Station, Plot no-3, MIDC Industrial Area, Thane Belapur, Opp. Airoli station Airoli, Navi Mumbai, 400 708, India Website: www.krahejacorp.com g As a developer, the firm pays great attention to the interior and exterior premises of all its properties to ensure the best possible use of green. K Raheja Corp and Mindspace Business Parks have been committed to sustainability for more than a decade, and they undertake all possible steps to ensure that their contributions are green. From mechanical systems, energy and water efficient fixtures, sustainable building materials and passive solar heating to healthy indoor air quality and optimal natural light inside the rooms – each of these go a long way in creating enhanced sustainable buildings. Externally there are several options which range from green exteriors through tree plantations, vegetated roofs, community gardens, balcony gardens, terrace gardens, rain gardens and permeable pavements which store water and either evaporate it or let it seep back into the soil to benefit vegetation. Better management of storm water is also as critical, especially in the current state of the world when water is becoming a depleting resource. Shabbir is keen to showcase one of the firm’s latest sustainable projects and explains how this is making a difference to the environment, thanks to the innovations the firm has pioneered. “One of the landmark K Raheja Corp green projects is Mindspace Building No.1 located in SEZ campus in Airoli, Navi Mumbai, India. It has been developed as a state-of- the-art Green Building which is multi-storied and offers multiple occupancies. The project has received LEED Core and Shell GOLD rating from the Indian Green Building Council – certifying body. The configuration of the building includes parking space allotted from the stilt floor to the third floor and office space from the fourth to the eleventh floor. “A large number of parameters adhered to have resulted in the reduced electricity consumption in the HVAC system of Airoli Mindspace office Building No 1. The tangible benefit is evident in the reduction of operating energy costs experienced from day one of consumption. Intangible benefits like enhanced ventilation, better views, and ample natural light have improved the productivity of the occupants. A Green Platinum building would cost 10-15 % more than the conventional building but the payback period is 3-4 years with a reduction in operational costs. This building promotes the environment, offers economic and social benefits, and protects the needs of future generations.” Mindspace Business Parks have a bright future ahead thanks to the increased industry focus on sustainability, as Shabbir concludes. “Currently, there is a transition setting in amongst home buyers from a traditional home to a green home. The biggest advantage they stand to gain, apart from operational savings in areas such as electricity and water, is that it enhances the indoor environmental quality and overall well-being of the buyer and their families. As such, our focus is on providing green homes and supporting our commercial clients moving forward.”