Workshop on 'Design & Policy Dialogue on Green Buildings'

TERI WRC, in collaboration with the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), organized a one-day workshop on 'Design and Policy Dialogue on Green Buildings' under the ongoing project 'Navi Mumbai an Ecocity' on February 24, 2015 at NMMC Headquarters, Seawoods, Navi Mumbai.

The main objective of the workshop was to:

• Strike a dialogue amongst the key policy/decision makers with regard to various design and policy/legislative options available in India.
• Launch an Ecocity cell under the 'Navi Mumbai an Ecocity' project.

The workshop was graced by Shri Sagar Naik, Honorable Mayor, Navi Mumbai as the Chief Guest. Shri Rajan Kop, Joint Secretary, Urban Development Department, GoM, Shri Dinesh T Waghmare, Honorable Municipal Commissioner NMMC, Shri Mohan Dagaonkar, City Engineer, NMMC and Mr G S Gill, Senior Advisor TERI and Ex Managing Director CIDCO, also graced the event.

The Ecocity cell was launched at the hands of Honorable Mayor and was well appreciated by the dignitaries. In the technical sessions, Dr Anjali Parasnis, Associate Director TERI WRC threw light on the Ecocity project by emphasizing on the significance and need of green construction in the building sector to make Navi Mumbai an Ecocity. Ms Mili Majumdar, Director, Sustainable Habitats, TERI, New Delhi, gave deeper insights on GRIHA and its national relevance. Various aspects such as significance of solar passive architecture with reference to the existing National Building Codes in India, role of green buildings in making Navi Mumbai an Ecocity, economics of green buildings, and so on were also discussed during the event.

The panel discussion revolved around various opportunities and challenges pertaining to incentivizing and mainstreaming green buildings in Maharashtra and in India at large. The discussion encouraged a 'real dialogue' amongst the panelists and the participants. Later in the day, the participants were toured through the NMMC building, which is a LEED-certified building. This was followed by a visit to GAIL office, a GRIHA-registered building.