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CESC House becomes India’s first heritage building to receive LEED v4.1 O+M Platinum certification
Kolkata, 20 July 2021 – GBCI India, the nation’s foremost authority on sustainability in building design, construction and operation, announced that it has awarded the iconic heritage building, Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) House, with the prestigious LEED v4.1 Operations + Maintenance (O+M) Platinum rating. GBCI is the world’s leading sustainability and health certification and credentialing body and, among other offerings, is responsible for administering the LEED green building program. LEED v4.1 is the latest version of the LEED rating system. With this honor, CESC House, Kolkata has become the first heritage building in India to achieve LEED v4.1 Platinum, the highest level of certification.
The Headquarters of CESC Limited, part of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group (RPSG), CESC House was built in 1933. RPGS retrofitted the 80-year-old historic space, replacing a full HVAC system, installing low-flow water management and building automation systems, adding an organic waste composter to reduce waste-to-landfill and installing 1,200 energy efficient lights and 52 occupancy sensors, among other efficiency, conservation and waste reduction strategies. Thanks to the practical and measurable strategies and solutions that RPGS utilized to achieve high performance in sustainable water efficiency, energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality and waste management, CESC House was able to achieve LEED Platinum and along with water and energy savings they have also reported an annual reduction of 966 tons of CO2. Additionally, the convenient location of CESC House has enabled more that 90% of its employees to walk or cycle to work, helping cut the company’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Mr. BL Chandak, Executive Director, RP Sanjiv Goenka Group, said, “At CESC, we are committed to making continuous improvement in the management of our environmental impact through technological innovations and community interventions. The LEED v4.1 O+M Platinum rating awarded to us for CESC House by GBCI is a testament to our dedication of reducing our carbon footprint. We would like to thank GBCI India for guiding us through the entire process of adopting LEED v4.1. We remain steadfast towards enabling a safe and sustainable environment for our stakeholders and employees.”
Mr. Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan, Managing Director – Southeast Asia & Middle East, GBCI India, said, “CESC House is a true example of how every building can work towards achieving sustainability, and LEED works for all building types. The fact that an 80 year old heritage building can achieve LEED Platinum shows the promise that existing buildings have. With keen attention to building operations, the efficiency and performance of older buildings can be turned around and drastically improved through implementing LEED O+M certification. Existing buildings will be critical in decarbonization, as they disproportionately impact carbon emissions, and GBCI India is committed to working with leaders like RPGS group around the country to advance the greening of our existing buildings. We would like to congratulate CESC House on achieving its LEED Platinum rating and encourage other existing structures to consider going green.”
Last month, CESC House was presented with a prestigious 2021 USGBC Leadership Award for the India and Southeast Asia region. The USGBC Leadership Awards recognize the exemplary leadership of individuals and organizations contributing to the creation of sustainable, healthier, equitable and resilient buildings, cities and communities.
