GRIHA Council Launches Rating System for Existing Day Schools in India

Aligning with India’s vision for a greener & sustainable tomorrow, GRIHA Council has announced that it has released its variant “GRIHA for Existing Day Schools”.  GRIHA for Existing Day Schools is a simple rating tool designed to evaluate the environmental performance of existing schools across India. The rating familiarizes the students with the concepts of sustainability by involving them under the guidance of their teachers to evaluate the environmental impact of schools on the environment.

Held at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, the event witnessed the presence of Mr Dinesh Kumar, Head, Department of Education in Science and Mathematics, National Council of Educational Research and Training among other dignitaries.

As a prelude to this event, GRIHA Council and Environmental Education and Awareness, TERI hosted a contest “Paryavaran Rakshak” from 27th March 2019 to 12th April 2019 wherein schools showcased work undertaken within their premises on environment and sustainability across categories. The contest received an overwhelming response from schools across India showcasing their efforts to build an eco-friendly environment within and outside their campus.

Among the top 15 entries, Army Public School, Bangalore; Delhi Public School, Vasant Kunj; Delhi Public School, Vidyut Nagar; Kasiga School, Dehradun & Delhi Public School, Nagpur were acclaimed as the best entries in demonstrating effective implementation and mainstreaming of sustainable practices. All entries were evaluated by a jury of eminent panel members.

Chief guest Mr Dinesh Kumar, Head, Department of Education in Science and Mathematics, National Council of Educational Research and Training, said, “It is worth noting that the GRIHA rating (the national green building rating system of India), a product of several years of research invested in developing sustainable practices, is at the forefront in establishing benchmarks to improve the performance of buildings in our country. It is very heartening to learn that GRIHA Council has launched this rating variant (GRIHA for Existing Day Schools) in order to rate the existing day school building stock in the country. This variant will work as an integrated tool to evaluate performance and provide solutions for enhanced energy and water efficiencies, increased thermal & visual comfort, and decreased operational & maintenance costs.”

Commenting on the success of the contest and the launch of the new variant, Mr. Sanjay Seth, CEO, GRIHA Council, said “GRIHA for Existing Day Schools has been introduced with the intention to instill the concepts of greenness and sustainability in the minds of children, to enable them to grow up as responsible citizens. Through the rating process, students and teachers will get an opportunity to establish contact with nature and with each other using the approach of co-creation and understanding”