The IGBC launched new tools that mandate a dramatic shift in India’s construction practices at the 23rd IGBC Green Building Congress 2025, which kicked off today in Mumbai.
Headlining this change was the debut of the stringent IGBC Green New Buildings Rating System—Version 4. Crucially, the IGBC also released India’s first official embodied carbon baseline report, providing the essential data for industry measurement and compliance.
These measures instantly raise the bar for sustainability, providing the standards and data necessary to accelerate the nation’s journey toward a net-zero, climate-resilient future. The event is convening global leaders and policymakers to set the stage for two days of strategic discussion.
New rating systems for market expansion:
Day 1 saw the unveiling of two key rating systems designed to expand the green movement across sectors and scale.
The IGBC Green Hotels Rating System—pilot version was launched to support the rapidly growing hospitality sector—projected to reach $45.39 billion by 2030—in transitioning to carbon-neutral, resource-efficient operations. The new rating provides a comprehensive framework covering everything from energy and water efficiency to enhanced guest well-being.
Reinforcing its commitment to climate-responsive design, IGBC also introduced the IGBC Green New Buildings Rating System—Version 4. This future-ready framework incorporates advanced features critical to the net-zero goal, including embodied carbon accounting, zero-water discharge strategies, enhanced material circularity, and decarbonization pathways with GHG incentives. The new version is expected to guide thousands of upcoming projects in meeting national and global sustainability benchmarks.
Data, digital, and decarbonization tools:
The Congress also debuted critical tools necessary for measurement and efficiency in the green building lifecycle.
IGBC released India’s first comprehensive embodied carbon baseline report, “Embodied Carbon Emissions Baseline Estimation for Buildings in India.” Developed with support from the SED Fund, the study establishes upfront embodied carbon intensities across five key building typologies, emphasizing the urgent need to integrate embodied carbon considerations into design and procurement decisions.
Furthermore, IGBC introduced its Automation Tool for Green Homes and Green Interiors. This digital platform will streamline submissions, reviews, and certifications through automated validations and standardized formats, significantly advancing IGBC’s mission to fully automate rating workflows and increase transparency.
Thought leadership:
In his inaugural address, Jamshyd N Godrej, Past President, CII, and Chairman of CII-Green Business Centre, highlighted the imperative of making sustainability economically viable.
“India’s green building movement has made remarkable progress, reaching 14.8 billion sq. ft. and 18,000 projects. As we shift from ‘green’ to ‘net zero,’ it is essential to show that sustainable and net-zero buildings make strong business sense. With IGBC’s leadership and industry collaboration, we are accelerating climate-resilient, low-carbon, and people-centric development. ‘Green Shifts for Greener Tomorrows’ captures our collective responsibility and our confidence that India can lead the global transition to a sustainable built environment.”
B Thiagarajan, National Chairman, CII Indian Green Building Council, delivered the theme address, reiterating the scale of the movement.
“India’s green building movement has reached an exceptional milestone with over 18,000 projects and 14.8 billion sq. ft of certified green space. As we accelerate towards a net-zero future, IGBC’s efforts—from low-carbon cooling and green finance to bottom-of-the-pyramid initiatives—are helping transform the built environment at scale. Simply put, going green makes business sense—and together, we can make net zero a reality.”
Concluding the inaugural session, C Shekar Reddy, National Vice-Chairman, CII Indian Green Building Council, emphasized the path forward.
“The insights shared today by our distinguished speakers and global partners reaffirm that the future we aspire to depends on the actions we take today. India’s green building movement—strengthened by strong leadership, committed industry stakeholders, and expanding global collaboration—is shaping a path where sustainability and development move forward together. As we advance toward a net-zero future, IGBC remains fully committed to working with government, industry, and communities to accelerate green adoption, drive innovation, and build a climate-resilient, people-centric tomorrow.”
The three-day Congress will continue over the next two days with sectoral conferences on green finance, net-zero homes, green energy in buildings, and green factories.
