InHabit & BuildScape - The InHabit Blog #wellnessInHabit & BuildScape - The InHabit Blog #wellnesshttps://www.inhabit.co.in/blogs/tag/wellnessSat, 02 May 2026 16:53:59 -0700http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[India's need for Green Buildings]]>https://www.inhabit.co.in/blogs/post/india-s-need-for-green-buildingsA Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) is a building that generates as much energy as it consumes over the course of a year. Energy-efficient building design and technologies as well as on-site energy-saving systems, like solar power and waste recycling, all help to make]]>

India's need for Green Buildings

]]>Tue, 03 Aug 2021 17:16:00 +0530<![CDATA[​​Marketing Green Buildings for Property Developers]]>https://www.inhabit.co.in/blogs/post/Marketing-Green-Buildings-for-Property-DevelopersA common grouse among many property developers is that unless the buyers are willing to pay a premium on green developments, building]]>

A common grouse among many property developers is that unless the buyers are willing to pay a premium on green developments, building green would be a pointless exercise because all the benefits of the green building are only enjoyed by the occupants and in many cases they may not even realise they are occupying a space that is more efficient than many of the other developments around. In such cases there is absolutely no value creation for the developer in spite of all the additional effort and in some cases, additional expenditure put in to the project. This is where the role of green marketing becomes very important. Green marketing according to me is one of the four pillars of building green, other three being design, implementation and verification & action. All these four pillars are interdependent and a green building project can add value only if all the four pillars are equally strong.

Studies have shown that green building space commands a premium of at least 6% in some countries. In the Indian scenario there is no evidence of buyers willing to pay a premium for such a space but this is only because real estate developers have still not figured how to communicate the value of certified green developments to potential buyers who are completely unaware of the concept. In the case of buildings, green marketing essentially means informing the buyers the environmental and economic value of the green building project in question. This becomes easier in case of certified green developments because there is always a third party verified documentary evidence proving the information on performance of the building. In all our projects we have started to provide marketing assistance to our clients through the following measures:

Once a client brings us in to help them design, build and certify their projects, we start off by creating a draft strategy document. This strategy document contains a summary of recommendations on how the project can achieve each criteria with minimum effort and maximum return on investment.


After a few rounds of discussing the strategies with the client and all other stakeholders involved and also doing some performance analysis of our own we get a final project narrative which in principal has been agreed up on by all parties that matter.

Using information in the narrative document we create a owner's manual or home buyer's guide. This guide contains the following information:

  • An introduction to the green home
  • Warranty information
  • Green Building certification achieved
  • How the project achieved (or intends to achieve) the green building certification. This information is listed under various performance areas like energy, water etc. It is always concise and easy to understand.
  • A list of maintenance dos and don't to keep to building performing as per design standards. This may include green cleaning options.
  • How to lead and environmentally conscious lifestyle.
  • How to manage waste and water
  • List of all the paints and chemicals used in the project
  • Important locations like water shut off valve, fuse box, gas shut off valve etc.
  • Emergency contacts
  • How to save on energy and water along with renewable energy options buyers could consider

The list can be as comprehensive as one likes but the information has to be easy to understand and act up on.


This guideline is sent to the marketing department for beautification and distribution among all potential buyers. This gives the buyer an understanding of how the green building is superior and sense of confidence towards the developer. This information when discussed in person without the inclination to make a sale at any cost, always works wonders, if not a sale it at least generates awareness on building performance and the value the developer is trying to create.


Such information is usually ignored in the glossy brochures highlighting all the amenities that only end up costing the buyer more money in maintenance and repair. Maybe for a change if developers started to highlight performance features that save buyers money and make them less reliant on external services, people will be more inclined to pay a premium to buy into green developments.

]]>Fri, 09 Jul 2021 17:01:10 +0530<![CDATA[Sustainable Planting Strategy for Green Roof in India]]>https://www.inhabit.co.in/blogs/post/Ideal-Planting-Strategy-for-Green-Roofs-in-IndiaSomeone raised a question today about what could be the most sustainable planting strategy for green roofs in India?]]>

Someone raised a question today about what could be the most sustainable planting strategy for green roofs in India?

This is what we think. If maintenance is no problem and a sustainable water source is available (treated used water), we actually prefer to install lawns on a roof. Some might argue it is not a greenest choice due to the water scarcity & hot climate of India, we actually think otherwise. We provide green roof and living wall systems under our brand BuildScape and we have found that there are three main reasons why someone would install a green roof: 

  1. Aesthetics

  1. Usable Amenity Space 
  2. Heat Mitigation 

All other benefits are important but not the key drivers in the decision making process. There is no doubt a lawn looks good and allows for building occupants to regularly use the vegetated parts of the green roof. But more importantly, the regular watering that a lawn requires actually cools the roof slab below and provides radiant cooling to the occupants below. The evaporative cooling of the surroundings and the heat island mitigation is also far higher through a high moisture green roof.


We have also found that using highly drought tolerant species actually has a negative impact. The growing medium acts as a thermal mass which has a negative impact on the energy usage in the spaces below.

    As far as irrigation is concerned there is always scope for automation. Water can be obtained by simply treating the grey water in the building using a small REED bed system. The lawn on the roof does not need high quality water and semi treated grey water is perfect to water a green roof.

    We have a tried different kinds of plants on the roof at our office. 

Nothing has improved the comfort conditions more than a well irrigated lawn on the roof. We use a small REED bed to treat the grey water and use this treated water to water our green roof and living wall systems. The water smells odd but we have not needed to use even a drop of manure or any other chemical to keep our green roof thriving for the last two years.

The value of using drought tolerant species on a roof is over rated, at least in cooling dominated climates like India. Concepts like Xeriscaping are better suited and are the more sustainable method for ground landscaping.

]]>Fri, 09 Jul 2021 14:18:07 +0530<![CDATA[​Do we need to better define what a Green Building is and what a Green Building is not?]]>https://www.inhabit.co.in/blogs/post/We-need-to-better-define-what-a-Green-Building-is-and-what-a-Green-Building-is-notThe most common definition used to describe a green building here in India is "A green building is one which uses less water, optimizes energy efficiency, conserves natural resources, generates less waste and provides healthier spaces for occupants,]]>

The most common definition used to describe a green building here in India is "A green building is one which uses less water, optimizes energy efficiency, conserves natural resources, generates less waste and provides healthier spaces for occupants, as compared to a conventional building." Source: IGBC

The issue here is with the term CONVENTIONAL BUILDING. The answer to what a conventional building is too subjective and it largely seems to depend on who you ask. The USGBC (US Green Building Council) has its own set of standards that it uses, the IGBC (Indian Green Building Council) has its own rules & so do the various other bodies around the world that certify buildings based on its environmental performance.


The term GREEN seems too generic and is thrown around way too much. Technically, a building that is even 1% better in all parameters than a conventional building can be called GREEN. This is a little misleading.


What's worse is that many project teams seem to unintentionally misuse the terms GREEN BUILDING. Many project teams take a few environmentally responsible features in a project like renewable energy, rain water harvesting, energy efficient lighting (to name a few) and pass it off as a Green Building. This I think is wrong because Green Building is a holistic approach towards minimum environmental impact and not about just a few environmentally responsible features.

Image source: sgbc.org

Below is my list of areas one should focus on when building green in the order of importance for Indian conditions:

  1. Water efficiency - capture, reduce, reuse
  2. Energy efficiency and Renewable energy (always energy efficiency first)
  3. Site sustainability
  4. Indoor Environment - health, comfort and well being
  5. Material sustainability - reduce, reuse, recycle
  6. Waste management - during construction & post occupancy
  7. Durability
  8. Measurement, verification and action
  9. Make it easy for occupants to be green
  10. Show off (Spread the word)

My contention is that only buildings that show improved performance (compared to conventional building standards) in all the above criteria can be termed as GREEN BUILDINGS. Everything else is NOT.

A net zero energy building with poor water management or problems with the indoor air quality cannot be termed as a GREEN BUILDING unless it meets all the other environmental performance parameters. Such a building should just be termed "Energy Efficient Building" or a "Net Zero Building" but not a GREEN BUILDING.


We need to have a serious discussion on how we can better inform the consumer as to what a green building is and more importantly what a green building is not. At the moment the terms GREEN BUILDING is being misused in many cases and there is a distinct possibility that people will lose faith in the whole concept if this continues.


Most green building certification programs address the focus areas mentioned above but in reality a building can be GREEN with or without the certification. And therein lies the issue that allows misuse and sends the wrong signals to the consumers.


If there could be a formal agreement within the industry that a building cannot be termed GREEN unless its performance has been verified by the a trusted third party institution then this would largely clear the confusion among consumers. Further, the industry could also push for copyright of the terms GREEN BUILDING such that only projects certified by selected third party institutions can be called Green Buildings. All other projects are free to use other terms of choice.

Article By

Yusuf Turab

IGBC AP, GRIHA CP, WELL AP, LEED AP & ECBC Master Trainer 

InHabit and BuildScape

Coimbatore, India

]]>Fri, 09 Jul 2021 12:41:43 +0530<![CDATA[General job description of a green building consultant]]>https://www.inhabit.co.in/blogs/post/Job-description-of-a-green-building-consultantA green building consultant needs to be technically sound in almost all areas of construction and operations of the building, even more than the architect in most cases because architects do not normally get involved with....]]>

​​What is the general job description of a green building consultant?

I have been running this Green Building consulting firm, InHabit and BuildScape for the past Six years. We are doing various projects that are on their way to getting certified through various rating systems like LEED, GRIHA, Well, IGBC Green Homes, Green New Buildings rating and Green Factory.


The basic role of a green building consultant is to help the project team make a better building with features that benefit the final occupants and owners of the building. Most of this has to be achieved with minimum cost escalation.


A green building consultant needs to be technically sound in almost all areas of construction and operations of the building, even more than the architect in most cases because architects do not normally get involved with the nitty gritties of the MEP services. Where as the green building consultant has to provide his stamp of approval in almost all areas of design and planning.


Apart from the technical knowledge about buildings and their environmental performance, the green building consultant needs to have excellent project management skills and marketing skills. Marketing skills are specially important because if you cannot sell the benefits of the green building project to its investors the whole idea becomes economically pointless.

The scope of work of a green building consultant is listed below. I may have missed a few things but at the crux of it all; this is it.

    • Manage entire Green Building rating compliance and documentation process.
    • Current design feedback, project acceptance and then project registration with the certification body
    • Creating a project strategy to save energy and water; recommend eco-friendly materials, optimise indoor environmental quality and create a sustainable site.
    • Conduct water audits, waste water management and rainwater harvesting studies.
    • Regular meetings with all stake holders making it clear well advance the requirement to meet each credit and assigning responsibility for the same.
    • Creating energy models, daylight simulations of all buildings to demonstrate compliance with energy efficiency, IEQ requirements of the Green Building rating program.
    • Performing all measurement and verification of credits as per the Green Building rating program
    • Compiling all documentation, photos, technical specification, various calculations, getting the required authorisation letters and signatures from stake holders and any other write ups and documentation required by the certification body to carry out the assessment of the project.
    • Duly submitting all documentation to the certification body and act as a one point contact for the evaluators and respond to any clarifications they might require.
    • Regular site visits to keep the contractors up to date on the requirements and to ensure the criteria are stringently followed.
    • Identifying and recommending suppliers for green building material and services procurement.
    •  Being accountable if any targeted credit is missed due to poor submissions or due to misinformation provided to the responsible stake holder.

The good green building consultant should be able to provide the following deliverables and benefits to his/her clients:

    • Introduce best practices in energy & water management.
    • Provide accurate energy efficiency and water efficiency data.
    • Help minimize waste during construction and introduce best practices in waste management post occupancy.
    • Improving indoor environmental quality to meet minimum daylighting and ventilation requirements.
    • Introduce best practices in improving quality of life and maximizing productivity.
    • Compiling a Green Building Owner's Manual complete with green building features, how to lead a green lifestyle, maintenance tasks and other operational information.
    • Staff training and awareness on project green features.
    • Providing any guidance to a stake holder if necessary.
    • Provide assistance in creating a clear marketing campaign and help generate awareness of the GREEN credentials of the project. This includes creating an online presence for the project, writing a case study, blog articles etc.
    • Provide any other sustainability related advice, service and assistance within scope.

The general impression is that a green building consultant simply compiles all documentation required to demonstrate compliance with the various green building rating systems. But the truth is that a good green building consultant should ideally bring a lot more to the table.


Due to the nature of their job, green building consultants are naturally focussed on efficiency in every aspect, even their day to day living. This makes them ideal candidates for handling projects where more needs to be done with less. The project owner should be in a position put his faith in this individual and ideally use him as his right hand man when it comes to making project decisions.

]]>Thu, 08 Jul 2021 14:51:32 +0530<![CDATA[Highest ranking Green Building on the Planet!]]>https://www.inhabit.co.in/blogs/post/efacility-green-buildingWe are proud to announce that our project eFacility has achieved the prestigious Platinum rating in the USGBC LEED NC Green Building rating system making it one of the greenest buildings on the planet.]]>

Our project eFacility is the second highest ranking Green Building on the Planet!

Coimbatore has added yet another feather to its cap. It is now home to one of the greenest, smartest and the most automated buildings in the world.


The building, eFacility is the headquarters of SIERRA ODC Private Limited, a Coimbatore based enterprise facility management software company.

eFacility has scored a phenomenal 103 points out of the available 110 points in the LEED-NC (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - New Construction) rating system, making it world's second highest ranking green building rated by Green Building Certification Inc in the New Construction category.


eFacility is the highest ranking green building in India by a distance. The second spot in the New Construction category in India was achieved by Centre for Management of Coastal EcoSystems, Orissa scoring 85 points.


YT Enterprises were principal green building consultants and facilitated the "United States Green Building Council's LEED" certification for Sierra ODC Pvt Ltd, Coimbatore. eFacility, located at Kalapatti, Coimbatore has shown exceptional performance in almost every area of design, construction and operations. It is currently operating at Net Zero Energy and is fully Carbon Neutral in overall operations. It is also a zero discharge development with all the rainwater, wastewater and solid waste being processed and reused within the site.


The only resource that leaves the site is the excess electricity that the building produces through its Building Integrated Photovoltaics and Rooftop Solar System.

The development uses environmentally friendly building materials and high performance glass. It has set top standards in reducing environmental impact during construction.

The buildings have been designed to provide excellent indoor environmental quality through improved daylighting, fresh air ventilation and thermal comfort. There are many more factors that have brought about this major milestone:


Click here for more information on eFacility's achievement

eFacility truly offers a peak into how the buildings of the future should be. Sierra ODC are in the process of setting up a Green Learning Center at eFacility, where students, social enthusiasts, industry experts, and the general public can learn and appraise themselves on the impacts and ways to go green.



Visit greenestbuilding.com if you wish to learn more about the standout features of this development.

]]>Wed, 07 Jul 2021 16:49:46 +0530<![CDATA[WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP) Credential]]>https://www.inhabit.co.in/blogs/post/Yusuf-Turab-WELL-APYusuf Turab, Managing Director from InHabit & BuildScape has earned the WELL Accredited Professional (WELL APTM) credential through the International WELL Building InstituteTM (IWBITM).]]>

Yusuf Turab From InHabit Earns WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP) Credential

Yusuf Turab, Managing Director from InHabit & BuildScape has earned the WELL Accredited Professional (WELL APTM) credential through the International WELL Building InstituteTM (IWBITM), placing him among a group of leading professionals who are dedicated to supporting human health and well-being in the built environment.The WELL AP credential is the new, leading credential signifying advanced knowledge of health and well-being in the built environment and specialization in the WELL Building StandardTM (WELL).

Yusuf Turab WELL AP


WELL APs have successfully passed the WELL AP exam, an assessment based on the expertise of leading practitioners in the field of design, health and wellness in the built environment. Developed using GBCI’s rigorous test development best practices, the WELL AP exam is designed to test a candidate’s knowledge and proficiency in building wellness and the principles, practices and applications of the WELL Building Standard. The WELL AP Exam was launched last October and was complemented by a comprehensive educational program.


InHabit now intends to provide consulting services for facilities looking to improve their occupant productivity through improved health, wellness and satisfaction in the built environment.


The WELL Building Standard is the first building standard to focus exclusively on the health and wellness of the people in buildings. WELL is an evidence and performance-based system for measuring, certifying and monitoring features that impact human health and well-being in the built environment, through air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind.


The WELL Building Standard and more information on the WELL AP is available at www.wellcertified.com.

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