Advertisment

This Society in Mira Bhayander is to Get the World’s first EDGE Certification! What does it mean?

A residential society in Mira Bhayander with support from AKAH is very close to achieving a historic moment in terms of sustainability with the IFC EDGE Certification for green buildings.

author-image
Hitanshu Bhatt
New Update
eDFE SERTIFIED BUILDING IN MUMBAI

With the rising concerns of climate change, there is a pressing need for us as individuals, government and society as a whole to adopt measures that not only improve the conditions but reduce the risk. A lot of factors from our day-to-day life play a significant role in increasing greenhouse gas emissions, resource depletion and habitat destruction. For instance, residential electricity use alone is responsible for 40.5% of emissions. The greenhouse gas (GHG) assessment highlighted that 62% of emissions come from stationary energy, 22% from transportation, and 16% from the waste sector. 

POLLUTION IN MIRA BHAYANDAR FROM BUILDINGS

Talking particularly about one area in Maharashtra, Mira Bhayandar, a key city in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and a satellite city to Greater Mumbai, has witnessed significant urban growth due to its comparatively lower cost of living. “Between 2005 and 2022, the city’s built-up area increased by 50.05%, while vegetation cover declined to 13.6%,” states the Aga Khan Agency of Habitat (AKAH). This urban expansion has led to a 0.46°C rise in annual temperatures, alongside challenges such as urban flooding and pressure on essential services like waste management, transportation, and water supply.

CEO of AGAH
 Prerana Langa, CEO of AKAH 

To tackle these issues, AKAH has implemented energy-efficient measures, achieving over a 60% reduction in emissions. The pilot at Nav Yuvan Housing Society in Mira Bhayandar serves as a scalable model to reduce emissions in the building sector through rooftop Solar PV Systems, BLDC fans, LED lighting, and water conservation fixtures. “This project is in the final stages of obtaining IFC EDGE Advanced Certification, marking it as the first existing housing society globally to achieve this recognition,” says Prerana Langa, CEO of AKAH in an interview with Local Samosa. For the unversed, EDGE is a green building certification system focused on making new residential and commercial buildings more resource-efficient. 

 Nav Yuvan Housing Society in Mira Bhayandar
 Nav Yuvan Housing Society in Mira Bhayandar which is going to receive the IFC EDGE Certificate

This truly is a remarkable feat for an Indian society to take a step ahead in the run for a sustainable environment. “We want many other societies and individuals to take inspiration from this model and apply for the same. If they need any assistance, we are happy to help,” says Prerana, as this could be a big step for India to showcase to the world its efforts in building a sustainable planet. With many such NGOs and societies coming forward to actively participate in the net zero mission of India and the world we could make it a better space to live rather than survive.

aga khan CEO of AKAH Aga Khan Agency for Habitat AKAH Nav Yuvan Housing Society in Mira Bhayandar IFC EDGE Certificate EDGE Certificate for building Sustainable building practices How to reduce pollution in buildings Prerana Langa