Speaking on the occasion, Dr R K Pachauri, director general of The Energy Resources Institute (TERI), said, “The West Bengal government has already been very enlightened on the issue and that is one reason why GRIHA has been launched first in Kolkata.”

According to him, GRIHA will be movement and West Bengal can set precedence for all the other states. He added that he has requested Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to reduce the subsidy on kerosene and instead subsidise solar lanterns to encourage the use of renewable energy in the rural pockets.

He added that western rating systems are not suited for the Indian climate and GRIHA has been designed exclusively for Indian buildings.

GRIHA is a national rating system, by which, green buildings will be rated by the West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation Limited (WBGEDCL) with technical expertise from TERI. The aim of a green building design is to minimize the demand of non-renewable sources and maximize its utilisation.

The centre for environmental science and engineering at IIT Kharagpur is the first building that has undergone green certification and has been awarded a five star rating. Buildings will be rated on the basis of design, system design, including ventilation, water and waste management, in door environmental quality and selection of ecologically sustainable materials.

“West Bengal already has Rabi Rashmi Abasan, India’s first solar housing complex, in New Town, Kolkata, we plan to have more such projects in future along with project on solid waste management with assistance from JBIC (Japan bank for International Cooperation) and JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission),” said Ashok Bhattacharya, minister for municipal affairs and urban development.