GRIHA Council and Delhi Technological University Collaborate to Advance Green Building Education

New Delhi, March 23, 2026: Inking a new partnership, GRIHA Council and Delhi Technological University (DTU) formalized a strategic collaboration aimed at advancing sustainability education in India’s built environment sector.

The MoU was signed between Shri Binod Doley, Registrar, DTU and Ms Shabnam Bassi, Deputy CEO & Secretary, GRIHA Council in the presence of Prof. Prateek Sharma, Vice Chancellor, Delhi Technological University and Mr Sanjay Seth, Vice President & CEO, GRIHA Council & Senior Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Programme, TERI. Acknowledging the importance of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) and applied research in addressing real-world sustainability challenges, this collaboration is intended to enable joint academic and research initiatives. To equip future professionals with the technical expertise, practical knowledge, and interdisciplinary understanding, the MoU encompasses promoting field-based research, industry-driven problem statements, live projects, and policy-linked studies.

The collaboration shall include curation of postgraduate degree programmes: Joint M. Tech Programme in Green Buildings & Sustainable Built Environment (Coursework-Intensive & Applied Research) and internships. To enhance awareness, outreach and engagement of student professionals, knowledge transfer and capacity building programmes will be conducted on various sustainability concepts and diverse GRIHA rating variants.

The MoU integrates academic rigor with industry-relevant frameworks that will not only build capacities of students but also nurture a generation of professionals capable of driving low carbon and resource efficient development.

Prof. Prateek Sharma, Vice Chancellor, DTU said, “India’s journey towards a self-sustained and sustainable future hinges on how effectively we equip our graduates with knowledge and skills in sustainability and climate-responsive design. This collaboration with GRIHA Council will focus on aligning academic frameworks with the nation’s net-zero emissions target by 2070. It focuses on balancing technological growth with sustainable development and developing technologies to scale up green infrastructure in the country. Under this MoU, we will launch new academic offerings, a Joint M.Tech Programme in Green Buildings & Sustainable Built Environment designed to build domain expertise and encourage responsible innovation through research. This partnership will strengthen learning through field-based research, industry-driven problem statements and policy-linked studies, ensuring strong academia–industry integration.”

Mr Sanjay Seth, Vice President & CEO, GRIHA Council & Senior Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Programme, TERI, shared, “The collaboration with DTU marks a significant step towards strengthening India’s capacity to design and deliver a sustainable built environment in the long term. At GRIHA Council, we strongly believe that the transition to a low-carbon future must be driven by well-equipped sustainability professionals. This joint venture is not just an academic programme, instead it’s a strategic initiative towards training the next generation of leaders and environmental stewards, who will shape resilient, resource-efficient, and climate-responsive infrastructure for the country. Aligned with Viksit Bharat@2047 and 2070 climate goals, these professionals will act as catalysts for green nation building.”

The MoU between GRIHA Council and DTU brings together a unique partnership fostering a strong academic foundation whilst preparing the future workforce with domain leadership in green buildings and sustainability.

ABOUT GRIHA COUNCIL

GRIHA (GRIHA Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) was jointly developed by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India to promote the development of green buildings and sustainable habitats. GRIHA Council aims to promote the construction of environmentally responsible and resource-efficient buildings through the GRIHA rating framework.

GRIHA evaluates the environmental performance of a building holistically over its entire life cycle, thereby providing a definitive standard for green buildings. The Government of India has recognized 'GRIHA' as an indigenous tool to evaluate Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction from habitats under its obligations to mitigate climate change as contained in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) documentation submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

India, in its third biennial report submitted to the UNFCCC, has recognized GRIHA as India’s own national rating system for green buildings. For more information on GRIHA, please visit: https://www.grihaindia.org/