All GRIHA Rating variants undergo periodical technical revisions under the supervision of GRIHA Technical Advisory Committee (TAC).
GRIHA V2019
Today, buildings have evolved into a diverse array of typologies designed to meet the highly specific requirements of the people who live and work in them. Over time, with our growing technological skills, these buildings have also been increasingly designed and operated to place exorbitant demands on natural resources, such as land, water, and energy, to mention a few. Therefore, incorporation of sustainable practices in building design and operation is no longer a choice but a necessity for a sustainable future.
The GRIHA v.2015 has undergone an extensive revision to account for the ongoing advancements in the highly dynamic construction sector. This version (i.e. GRIHA v2019) integrates concepts like life cycle cost analysis, life cycle analysis, and water performance index to name a few. This version has taken into consideration the incorporation of user experience, market feedback, and enhanced ease of implementation and adoption.
Eligibility
All new construction projects with built up area more than 2500 m2 (excluding parking, basement area, and typical buildings) are eligible for certification under GRIHA v.2019.
Rating Process
- Online registration: The project team can initiate the registration process by filling the EOI Form available on the GRIHA website. The process of registration is completed after the successful payment of registration fees by the project team. Once the project is registered, the project team is provided with a username and password for submitting the documentation on the GRIHA online panel.
- Orientation workshop: The registration is followed by an orientation workshop conducted by GRIHA Council officials, which intends to provide detailed information of the rating along with an elaborate explanation to all the criteria, and post addressing project-specific queries of the teams.
- Due diligence I: The site visit shall be conducted by GRIHA Council officials to validate sustainable measures adopted during the construction phase. It will be scheduled when the project is carrying out above plinth level work such as column and slab construction.
- Due diligence II: The second site visit shall be conducted by the GRIHA Council officials to validate internal finishes, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical components installed during the construction phase. It is scheduled post completion of the building structure work.
- Submission of documents: As the project is nearing completion, the project proponent will upload the documents for all criteria on the online panel using the username and password provided at the time of registration.
- Preliminary evaluation: Preliminary evaluation is carried out by a team of professionals from GRIHA Council and external evaluators, who are experts in their respective fields recognized by GRIHA Council.
- Final due diligence: The final site visit shall be conducted by the GRIHA Council officials to verify the submitted documentation with on-site implementation. The visit is done once the project is complete and all equipment and systems are installed and commissioned.
- Final evaluation: The GRIHA Council officials along with external evaluators shall then evaluate the final round of submitted documentation and the final site visit report in response to the preliminary evaluation. The final rating is awarded based on the final evaluation and is valid up to 5 years.
- Additional due diligence Green awareness drive: The GRIHA Council conducts an additional due diligence visit post the final rating, for green awareness and education amongst project occupants. This visit aims to impart basic knowledge and understanding on green buildings and their way of working.
- Rating renewal: There are two ways in which the rating can be renewed and the project gets to enjoy the perks of being called a rated building. This can be done either by submitting an audit data report (over a span of three consecutive years) comprising energy, water, and waste (report to be prepared by BEE-certified energy auditor), or by enrolling the project for GRIHA EB rating to maintain its certification for the next cycle of 5 years.
| GRIHA v.2019 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Section | Criterion No. | Criterion Name | Maximum Points |
| 1. Sustainable Site Planning | 1 | Green Infrastructure | 5 |
| 2 | Low Impact Design | 5 | |
| 3 | Design to Mitigate UHIE | 2 | |
| 2. Construction Management | 4 | Air and Soil Pollution Control | 1 |
| 5 | Top Soil Preservation | 1 | |
| 6 | Construction Management Practices | 2 | |
| 3. Energy Efficiency | 7 | Energy Optimization | 12 |
| 8 | Renewable Energy Utilization | 5 | |
| 9 | Low ODP and GWP Materials | 1 | |
| 4. Occupant Comfort | 10 | Visual Comfort | 4 |
| 11 | Thermal and Acoustic Comfort | 2 | |
| 12 | Maintaining Good IAQ | 6 | |
| 5. Water Management | 13 | Water Demand Reduction | 3 |
| 14 | Wastewater Treatment | 3 | |
| 15 | Rainwater Management | 5 | |
| 16 | Water Quality and Self-Sufficiency | 5 | |
| 6. Solid Waste Management | 17 | Waste Management-Post Occupancy | 4 |
| 18 | Organic Waste Treatment On-Site | 2 | |
| 7. Sustainable Building Materials | 19 | Utilization of Alternative Materials in Building | 5 |
| 20 | Reduction in GWP through Life Cycle Assessment | 5 | |
| 21 | Alternative Materials for External Site Development | 2 | |
| 8. Life Cycle Costing | 22 | Life Cycle Cost Analysis | 5 |
| 9. Socio-Economic Strategies | 23 | Safety and Sanitation for Construction Workers | 1 |
| 24 | Universal Accessibility | 2 | |
| 25 | Dedicated Facilities for Service Staff | 2 | |
| 26 | Positive Social Impact | 3 | |
| 10. Performance Metering and Monitoring | 27 | Commissioning for Final Rating | 7 |
| 28 | Smart Metering and Monitoring | 0 | |
| 29 | Operation and Maintenance Protocol | 0 | |
| Total Points | 100 | ||
| 11. Innovation | 30 | Innovation | 5 |
| Grand Total Points | 100 + 5 | ||
Rating Threshold
| GRIHA V 2019 Rating Thresholds | GRIHA Rating |
|---|---|
| 25-40 |  |
| 41-55 | |
| 56-70 | |
| 71-85 | |
| 86 or more | |
Rating fees of GRIHA version 2019 with effect from 1st of June 2024:
Registration cum rating fee structure (excluding taxes) is as follows:
| Size of the project (total built up area) | Fees |
|---|---|
| T= 5,000 m2 | Rs 3,74,000 |
| > 5,000 m2 | Rs 3,74,000 (for the first 5000 m2.) + ₹ 7.5 /m2 (over and above first 5000 m2) |
A maximum fee of Rs 20,00,000 + GST only to be charged from projects notwithstanding of built up area.
The fee includes:
- GRIHA costs for preliminary assessment, administration, and coordination of online documentation submission, and support over the project duration.
- Third party evaluator fees.
- One-day training workshop for project team.
If the preliminary assessment or workshop or site visits are out of station for New Delhi, all expenditure incurred on travel by flight (to & fro) and accommodation shall be arranged by the project proponent. Two members from GRIHA Council will conduct 3 site visits, in the beginning of the project, middle and towards the end of the project execution stages. Their travel and accommodation arrangements will have to be made by the client.
Government taxes as applicable during registration are added to registration and rating fees.
It may be noted that award of the rating is subject to fulfilment of all requirements as elaborated in GRIHA document.
The GRIHA version 2015 (GRIHA V2015), was introduced in January 2015.
The GRIHA V 2015 rating system consists of 31 criteria categorized under various sections such as Site Planning, Construction Management, Occupant Comfort and Wellbeing, Sustainable Building Materials, Performance Monitoring and Validation, and Innovation.
Eligibility
All buildings, which are in the design stage and have built up area more than 2,500 m2, are eligible for certification under GRIHA. Building types include, but are not limited to offices, retail spaces, institutional buildings, hotels, hospital buildings, healthcare facilities, residences, and multi-family high-rise buildings.
Criteria and their weightage
GRIHA is a performance-oriented system where points are earned for meeting the design and performance intent of the criteria. Each criterion has certain points assigned to it. It means that a project demonstrating compliance with a criterion would achieve the associated points.
GRIHA is a 100-point system consisting of some core points, which are mandatory, while the rest are optional. Different levels of certification (one star to five stars) are awarded based on the number of points earned. The minimum points required for certification are 25.
The scores for achieving GRIHA rating have been revised. The new thresholds for achieving GRIHA rating are mentioned below:
| GRIHA V 2015 Rating Thresholds | GRIHA Rating |
|---|---|
| 25-40 | |
| 41-55 | |
| 56-70 | |
| 71-85 | |
| 86 or more | |
| Criterion 1 | Site Selection |
|---|---|
| Criterion 2 | Low-impact design |
| Criterion 3 | Design to mitigate UHIE |
| Criterion 4 | Site Imperviousness Factor |
| Criterion 5 | Air and water pollution control |
| Criterion 6 | Preserve and protect landscape during construction |
| Criterion 7 | Construction Management Practices |
| Criterion 8 | Energy efficiency |
| Criterion 9 | Renewable energy utilization |
| Criterion 10 | Zero ODP materials |
| Criterion 11 | Achieving indoor comfort requirements (visual/thermal/acoustic) |
| Criterion 12 | Maintaining good IAQ |
| Criterion 13 | Use of low-VOC paints and other compounds in building interiors |
| Criterion 14 | Use of low-flow fixtures and systems |
| Criterion 15 | Reducing landscape water demand |
| Criterion 16 | Water Quality |
| Criterion 17 | On-site water reuse |
| Criterion 18 | Rainwater Recharge |
| Criterion 19 | Utilization of BIS recommended waste materials in building structure |
| Criterion 20 | Reduction in embodied energy of building structure |
| Criterion 21 | Use of low-environmental impact materials in building interiors |
| Criterion 22 | Avoided post-construction landfill |
| Criterion 23 | Treat organic waste on site |
| Criterion 24 | Labour safety and sanitation |
| Criterion 25 | Design for Universal Accessibility |
| Criterion 26 | Dedicated facilities for service staff |
| Criterion 27 | Increase in environmental awareness |
| Criterion 28 | Smart metering and monitoring |
| Criterion 29 | Operation, Maintenance Protocols |
| Criterion 30 | Performance Assessment for Final Rating |
| Criterion 31 | Innovation |
Option 1: Recertification
Recertification process fee
BUA less than 10,000 sq.m = 1.5 lakh + 18% GST
BUA above 10,001 sq.m = 2.5 lakh + 18% GST
The following parameters shall be evaluated under recertification
- Energy consumption
- Thermal comfort
- Visual comfort
- Water quality
- Solid waste generation
- Solid waste disposal process
Further details for evaluation will be shared with you by our technical team post-registration.
Option 2: GRIHA EB certification
Registration fee waiver of Rs 50,000
| Built-up Area (sqm) | Registration Fee * | Certification Fee * |
|---|---|---|
| Built-up Area 5,000 sq.m & below | INR 50,000 (being waived off for GRIHA Rated projects) | INR 1,50,000 |
| 5,001 sq.m to 50,000 sq.m | INR 50,000 (being waived off for GRIHA Rated projects) | INR 1,50,000 + INR 3.5 for every sq.m above 5,000 sq.m |
| 50,001 sq.m & above | INR 50,000 (being waived off for GRIHA Rated projects) | INR 3,10,000 |
GRIHA V 3 rating system consists of 34 criteria covering various subjects such as sustainable site planning, energy and water optimization, sustainable building materials, waste management and building operations & maintenance. There are bonus points for strategies implemented over and above the listed GRIHA Criteria.
Eligibility
All buildings, which are in the design stage and have built up area more than 2,500 m2, m2, which are in the design stage, are eligible for certification under GRIHA. Building types include but are not limited to offices, retail spaces, institutional buildings, hotels, hospital buildings, healthcare facilities, residences, and multi-family high-rise buildings.
Criteria and their weightage
GRIHA is a performance-oriented system where points are earned for meeting the design and performance intent of the criteria. Each criterion has certain points assigned to it. It means that a project demonstrating compliance with a criterion would achieve the associated points.
GRIHA is a 100-point system consisting of some core points, which are mandatory, while the rest are optional. Different levels of certification (one star to five stars) are awarded based on the number of points earned. The minimum points required for certification are 50.
| Points achieved | GRIHA Rating |
|---|---|
| 50-60 | |
| 61-70 | |
| 71-80 | |
| 81-90 | |
| 91-100 | |
| Criterion 1 | Site Selection |
|---|---|
| Criterion 2 | Preserve and protect landscape during construction/compensatory depository forestation. |
| Criterion 3 | Soil conservation (post construction) |
| Criterion 4 | Design to include existing site features |
| Criterion 5 | Reduce hard paving on site |
| Criterion 6 | Enhance outdoor lighting system efficiency |
| Criterion 7 | Plan utilities efficiently and optimize on-site circulation efficiency |
| Criterion 8 | Provide minimum level of sanitation/safety facilities for construction workers |
| Criterion 9 | Reduce air pollution during construction |
| Criterion 10 | Reduce landscape water demand |
| Criterion 11 | Reduce building water use |
| Criterion 12 | Efficient water use during construction |
| Criterion 13 | Optimize building design to reduce conventional energy demand |
| Criterion 14 | Optimize energy performance of building within specified comfort limits |
| Criterion 15 | Utilization of fly-ash or equivalent industrial/agricultural waste as recommended by BIS in building structures |
| Criterion 16 | Reduce embodied energy of construction is reduced by adopting material efficient technologies and/or low-energy materials |
| Criterion 17 | Use low-energy materials in Interiors |
| Criterion 18 | Renewable energy utilization |
| Criterion 19 | Renewable energy based hot water system |
| Criterion 20 | Waste water treatment |
| Criterion 21 | Water recycle and reuse (including rainwater) |
| Criterion 22 | Reduction in waste during construction |
| Criterion 23 | Efficient Waste segregation |
| Criterion 24 | Storage and disposal of wastes |
| Criterion 25 | Resource recovery from waste |
| Criterion 26 | Use of low-VOC paints/adhesives/sealants |
| Criterion 27 | Minimize ozone depleting substances |
| Criterion 28 | Ensure water quality |
| Criterion 29 | Acceptable outdoor and indoor noise levels |
| Criterion 30 | Tobacco and smoke control |
| Criterion 31 | Provide at least the minimum level of accessibility for persons with disabilities |
| Criterion 32 | Energy audit and validation |
| Criterion 33 | Operation and Maintenance |
| Criterion 34 | Innovation Points |
Compliances, as specified in the relevant criterion, have to be submitted in the prescribed format. While the intent of some of the criteria is self-validating in nature, there are others such as energy consumption, thermal and visual comfort, noise control, and indoor pollution levels which need to be validated on-site through performance monitoring. The points related to these criteria (specified under the relevant sections) are awarded provisionally while certifying and are converted into firm points through monitoring, validation, and documents/photographs to support the award of point.
Rating Process
i. Registration
A project must be registered with GRIHA Council through the GRIHA website by filling in the registration form online. Registration should preferably be done at beginning of a project, as several issues need to be addressed at the pre-design stage. The registration process includes access to the essential information related to rating.
ii. Post-registration workshop
An orientation workshop is conducted by the GRIHA Council, for the entire project team comprising of the owner, architect, MEP Consultants, landscape consultants, project manager, etc. The workshop serves the dual purpose of awareness of GRIHA System for all involved and identification and evaluation of the optional criteria to enhance the rating of the project.
iii. Online Submission of documents
The project proponent is required to provide documentary evidence to demonstrate compliance with the criteria. The required list of documents is mentioned in the criteria in the GRIHA Manual. All compliance documents shall be submitted through the online portal on the GRIHA website. Submitted documents will be checked and vetted by GRIHA Council.
iv. Due Diligence
Three site visits will be conducted as part of the rating process to verify the compliances on site. The first site visit will be done when the project is carrying out above plinth level work such as column and slab construction. the second one will be done when the structural work is complete and interior finishing is in progress. The third and final site visit will be done after the preliminary document assessment by GRIHA.
v. Evaluation process
Complete and consolidated rating documents submitted by the project proponent shall be sent for a third-party review. Third party reviewers are identified and trained by the GRIHA Council under the supervision of the Technical Advisory Committee of GRIHA. On-site checks will be carried out by the GRIHA Council 3 times during the project execution phase for auditing the green features as part of the Due-Diligence visits.
- The submission summary report generated by the online portal will be sent to the evaluators. The evaluators will award provisional points and comment on specific criteria, if need be.
- The evaluation report will be sent to the project proponent to review the same and, if desired, take steps to increase the score. The report will have elaborate remarks of the evaluation committee along with comments. The report will list the criteria for which the documentation is incomplete, detailing the information, which is required.
- The project proponent will be given one-month time to resubmit the documents with necessary modifications /additions. The resubmitted documents will comprise only of the additional documents / information desired in the evaluation report.
- The resubmitted documents will again be put through the vetting process described above. The evaluation committee will then award the final score.
- The final score will be presented to the National Advisory committee comprising of eminent personalities and renowned professionals in the field, for approval and award of the provisional rating.
- Final award of rating will be subject to an independent energy audit of the project after a year of commissioning the building.
Once rated, the rating will be valid for a period of five years from the date of commissioning of the building. GRIHA reserves the right to undertake a random on-site audit of any criteria for which points have been awarded.
Note: It may please be noted that rating is subject to fulfilment of minimum requirements as necessary under GRIHA. Projects that do not fulfil mandatory criteria and minimum required optional criteria are not eligible for rating.