Green residential developments can reduce water consumption by 30-50%: Report

Despite being home to more than 19,700 green building projects, India still lacks a standardized framework that enables homebuyers to compare the sustainability credentials of residential developments, according to a report by proptech major Square Yards.

However, sustainability information remains fragmented across certifications, technical disclosures and developer claims, making meaningful project-to-project comparisons difficult.

In collaboration with sustainability research partner The Habitat Emprise, the Gurugram-headquartered company with a presence in nine countries has launched the Square Yards Green Living Index (SYGLI), a standardized assessment framework designed to make residential sustainability more transparent, measurable and comparable.


"Sustainability cannot become mainstream unless it becomes measurable, transparent, and easily understandable for consumers. By leveraging data extraction, automation, and analytical intelligence, we are translating complex sustainability disclosures into a standardised score that can help buyers make more informed decisions,” said Vivek Agarwal, Co-founder and CTO, Square Yards.

Research underpinning the framework highlights that green residential developments can reduce water consumption by 30-50 per cent and lower energy costs by 20-30 per cent, directly impacting household affordability, resource efficiency and quality of life.

Using the Green Living Index on the company’s website and app, users can check a housing project's green quotient and make more informed decisions.

“Sustainability is rapidly becoming a defining factor in the future of housing. Homebuyers today seek greater transparency, healthier living environments and long-term resilience against climate-related challenges,” said Smita Patil, Chairperson, NAREDCO MAHI.

India is expected to add nearly 400 million people to its cities by 2050, while its residential building stock is projected to double over the coming decades. Moreover, the construction sector accounts for nearly one-third of the country's greenhouse gas emissions, and addressing this will be imperative for India to achieve Net-Zero by 2070.

The Central government is also planning a certification mechanism that indicates the expected lifespan of every building.

“While modern buildings are generally designed for 60-70 years, India should also explore technologies capable of delivering structures with significantly longer life spans wherever feasible," Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar said while addressing the inaugural session of the Bharat Buildcon 2026.

The framework has been developed using publicly available information sourced from RERA filings, developer disclosures and geospatial intelligence. It evaluates sustainability features ranging from energy efficiency and water management to indoor environmental quality, climate resilience, mobility access and environmental impact.

As India prepares for a future of rapid urbanization and increasing climate pressures, transparent sustainability information is expected to become an increasingly important component of residential decision-making.

"India has made significant progress in green building adoption, but information asymmetry continues to limit consumer participation in the sustainability journey. Sustainable housing should be understood not only as an environmental imperative but also as a financial and health imperative for households,” said Priyanka Kochhar, CEO and Co-Founder, The Habitat Enterprise.