Nalanda University bags green award

PATNA: The Nalanda University bagged the ‘Exemplary Performance Award’ in renewable energy utilization category at the tenth edition of Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) summit held in New Delhi on December 11.

GRIHA is an independent, non-profit society jointly set up by the Energy and Resources Institute and the ministry of new and renewable energy to promote and administer green buildings in India.

NU vice-chancellor Sunaina Singh, who received the award, said in a press statement issued on Saturday that it is the second time that the concept of the university campus has been awarded by the GRIHA.

“The university campus is designed with unique water and energy system to achieve the goal of self-sustainable net-zero campus. It uses indigenous and renewable energy sources with the integration of various innovative technologies, which includes use of enhanced desiccant evaporative technology for cooling and heating of the buildings, use of compressed stabilized earth blocks instead of common burnt clay bricks,” the VC said in her statement.

She added, “The campus combines state-of-the art technologies with planning principles of the ancient Nalanda University to create a carbon neutral and zero waste campus. The whole master plan in itself is transitional as it demonstrates the integration of the campus into a large eco-system of the site.”