Green Building Ratings vs Green Certification: IGBC, LEED & More

Green Building Ratings vs Operational Green Certification

The sustainable-building landscape offers two fundamentally different approaches to demonstrating green credentials: green building ratings and operational green certification. While they share the common goal of reducing environmental impact, they evaluate different things, at different stages, using different methodologies.

A green building rating — such as IGBC, LEED, EDGE, or GRIHA — primarily evaluates a building project's design, construction materials, energy systems, water infrastructure, and site planning. It is typically sought during or immediately after construction and focuses on what the building can achieve based on its design specifications.

An operational green certification, on the other hand, evaluates how an organization or facility actually performs in day-to-day sustainability — covering energy consumption, water management, waste handling, procurement, indoor environment quality, and environmental management practices. It is assessed through periodic audits by a third-party certification body and focuses on what the organization is actually doing.

The distinction matters because a building designed to be "green" may not operate sustainably — and an older building without a green rating may operate with exemplary sustainability practices. Understanding both approaches helps organizations make informed decisions about which credentials to pursue.

IGBC Green Building Rating

The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), part of CII (Confederation of Indian Industry), operates India's most widely adopted green building rating system. As of 2025, over 10 billion sq. ft. of green building footprint has been registered or certified under IGBC across India.

IGBC Rating Systems

IGBC offers multiple rating systems tailored to different building types:

• IGBC Green New Buildings: For new construction commercial and institutional projects
• IGBC Green Existing Buildings: For operational buildings seeking to improve sustainability
• IGBC Green Homes: For residential projects
• IGBC Green Factory Building: For manufacturing and industrial facilities
• IGBC Green Healthcare: For hospitals and healthcare facilities
• IGBC Green Schools / Campuses: For educational institutions
• IGBC Green SEZ: For Special Economic Zones
• IGBC Green Townships: For large-scale township developments

IGBC Rating Levels

Projects earn credits across categories including Site Selection & Planning, Water Conservation, Energy Efficiency, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation. Total credits determine the rating level:

• Certified: 50–59 points — meets baseline green requirements
• Silver: 60–69 points — demonstrates above-average green performance
• Gold: 70–79 points — strong sustainability performance across most categories
• Platinum: 80+ points — exceptional sustainability leadership

IGBC Strengths

• Tailored to Indian climate zones, building codes, and market conditions
• Credit criteria reference Indian standards (NBC, ECBC, BIS codes)
• Cost-effective compared to international rating systems
• Widely recognized by Indian regulators — many states offer incentives (extra FAR, reduced property tax) for IGBC-rated buildings
• Extensive local assessor network

LEED Certification

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the most internationally recognized green building rating system. Over 100,000 projects across 180+ countries have been LEED-certified or registered.

LEED Rating Systems

• LEED BD+C: Building Design and Construction — for new buildings, core & shell, schools, healthcare, data centers, hospitality, retail, warehouses
• LEED ID+C: Interior Design and Construction — for commercial interiors, retail, hospitality
• LEED O+M: Operations and Maintenance — for existing buildings (closest to operational certification)
• LEED ND: Neighbourhood Development — for master-planned communities
• LEED Homes: For residential projects
• LEED Cities and Communities: For city-scale planning

LEED Rating Levels

LEED uses a 110-point scale across categories including Integrative Process, Location & Transportation, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation:

• Certified: 40–49 points
• Silver: 50–59 points
• Gold: 60–79 points
• Platinum: 80+ points

LEED Strengths

• Strongest international brand recognition — valued by global investors and tenants
• Rigorous, science-based credit criteria with regular updates
• LEED O+M addresses operational performance, partially bridging the design-operations gap
• ARC platform provides ongoing performance tracking
• Comprehensive material health and life-cycle assessment requirements

EDGE Certification

EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) is a green building certification developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group. It is specifically designed to make green building accessible and affordable, particularly in emerging markets.

How EDGE Works

EDGE takes a fundamentally different approach from IGBC and LEED. Instead of a comprehensive credit-based system, EDGE focuses on three measurable dimensions:

• Energy: Minimum 20% reduction compared to baseline
• Water: Minimum 20% reduction compared to baseline
• Embodied Energy in Materials: Minimum 20% reduction compared to baseline

The baseline is a standard local building of the same type and climate zone. The free EDGE App software calculates savings based on design inputs, making compliance prediction straightforward.

EDGE Certification Levels

• EDGE Certified: Achieves minimum 20% savings in all three categories
• EDGE Advanced: Achieves 40% energy savings (or 20% plus on-site renewables for net-zero energy potential) with at least 20% in water and materials
• EDGE Zero Carbon: Achieves 100% renewable energy use (on-site or off-site) with at least 40% energy efficiency, plus 20% each in water and materials

EDGE Strengths

• Simple, measurable, and affordable — lower documentation burden than IGBC or LEED
• Free software tool for savings calculations
• Accepted by IFC and other development finance institutions for green lending
• Ideal for affordable housing and emerging-market projects where LEED/IGBC costs are prohibitive
• Growing recognition in India, particularly for residential projects

GRIHA Rating

GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) is India's national green building rating system, jointly developed by TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). As a government-backed system, it is mandatory for certain government projects.

GRIHA Criteria

GRIHA evaluates buildings across 34 criteria organized into four sections:

• Site Planning: Existing topography, soil conservation, reduced hard paving, enhanced outdoor air quality
• Building Planning and Construction: Energy-efficient design, low-energy materials, construction management, air and water quality during construction
• Building Operation and Maintenance: Energy performance monitoring, water management, waste management, occupant health and comfort
• Innovation: Novel strategies exceeding baseline requirements

GRIHA Rating Levels

• 1 Star: 25–40 points
• 2 Stars: 41–55 points
• 3 Stars: 56–70 points
• 4 Stars: 71–85 points
• 5 Stars: 86–100 points

GRIHA Strengths

• Government-backed — mandatory for large central-government projects (above 5,000 sq. m.)
• Strong emphasis on building performance during operation, not just design
• Life-cycle cost approach
• Subsidized rating fees for certain project types
• Variants: GRIHA for Existing Day Schools, GRIHA for Large Developments (LD), SVA-GRIHA (small buildings)

Operational Green Certification

While building ratings focus predominantly on design and construction, operational green certification evaluates what actually happens inside the facility on a day-to-day basis — after the building is occupied and operating.

What Operational Green Certification Covers

• Energy management: Actual energy consumption patterns, efficiency measures, monitoring systems, renewable energy usage
• Water management: Actual consumption, rainwater harvesting effectiveness, wastewater treatment performance, reuse rates
• Waste management: Segregation practices, recycling rates, composting, hazardous waste handling, landfill diversion
• Materials and procurement: Green purchasing policies, use of sustainable materials, packaging reduction
• Indoor environment quality: Air quality monitoring, ventilation effectiveness, thermal comfort, lighting adequacy
• Biodiversity and green cover: Landscaping practices, native species, tree preservation, green cover percentage
• Environmental awareness: Staff training, stakeholder engagement, behavioral change programs
• Compliance: Environmental regulatory compliance, pollution prevention measures

How It Differs from Building Ratings

The fundamental difference is evidence of actual performance vs design intent. A LEED Gold building may have been designed for 30% energy savings but may actually consume more energy than predicted if operations are poor. Conversely, a 20-year-old building without any green rating may operate with exceptional sustainability practices.

Operational green certification from an accredited third-party certification body like Glocert International involves:

1. Application and scope definition
2. Stage 1 audit: Document review and readiness assessment
3. Stage 2 audit: On-site assessment of actual practices, measurement, and evidence verification
4. Certification decision by an independent committee
5. Surveillance audits at defined intervals to maintain certification

This periodic, evidence-based audit model ensures that green certification reflects current reality, not historical design intent.

Building Ratings vs Operational Certification: Comparison

Cost Comparison

Costs vary significantly based on project size, complexity, and location. The following provides indicative ranges for a typical mid-sized commercial building in India (50,000–100,000 sq. ft.):

Note: These are approximate ranges. Actual costs depend heavily on project size, location, existing design integration, and target rating level. Construction premiums are typically recovered through operational savings within 3–7 years.

How Building Ratings and Green Certification Complement Each Other

Building ratings and operational green certification are not competitors — they are complementary credentials that together provide the most complete picture of sustainability performance.

The Gap Between Design and Operation

Research consistently shows a performance gap between designed and actual building performance. Studies by CIBSE, the Better Buildings Partnership, and others have documented that actual energy consumption in green-rated buildings can exceed design predictions by 50–200%. Reasons include:

• Occupancy patterns differing from assumptions
• Building management systems not optimized or poorly maintained
• Tenant fit-outs that compromise design features
• Plug loads (equipment, appliances) not accounted for in design
• Lack of operational awareness and training among facility teams

The Complementary Model

1. Green building rating at design/construction stage ensures the building is equipped with the right infrastructure — efficient HVAC, water recycling systems, solar panels, insulation, natural lighting, and sustainable materials.
2. Operational green certification during occupation ensures the building's sustainability systems are actually used effectively, maintained properly, and continuously improved — and that organizational practices (waste management, procurement, training) complement the building's green features.

Together, they close the design-to-operation gap and provide stakeholders — investors, tenants, regulators, and the public — with credible evidence that sustainability is not just a design intention but an operational reality.

Decision Framework: Which Should You Pursue?

Pursue a Green Building Rating When...

• You are developing a new construction project or major renovation
• You want to enhance property market value and rental premiums
• Local regulations offer incentives (extra FAR, tax rebates) for rated green buildings
• You need credentials recognized by international investors or multinational tenants (LEED)
• You are required to comply with ECBC or government green building mandates
• You need green-finance eligibility (EDGE for IFC lending, IGBC/LEED for green bonds)

Pursue Operational Green Certification When...

• Your facility is already built and occupied — you want to certify actual practices
• You operate in a building you don't own (leased space) and cannot control design
• You want to demonstrate genuine, ongoing sustainability performance — not just design intent
• You need credible evidence for ESG reporting (BRSR, GRI, CDP) that reflects current operations
• You are in a sector like education (NAAC), healthcare, hospitality, or manufacturing where operational practices matter more than building design
• You want to reduce greenwashing risk with independent, periodic third-party verification

Pursue Both When...

• You are a developer committed to lifecycle sustainability — demonstrating both design quality and operational excellence
• You want the strongest possible sustainability credentials for institutional investors, ESG ratings, or premium tenants
• Your ESG strategy requires both infrastructure and operational evidence
• You are preparing for regulatory environments that will increasingly demand operational performance data (EU Taxonomy, SEBI BRSR)

A green building rating tells you what a building was designed to be. An operational green certification tells you what the organization actually is. The most credible sustainability story requires both chapters.

Frequently Asked Questions