Bhubaneswar: Odisha Lok Bhavan has made history by becoming the first Governor House in India to be awarded the prestigious Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Platinum certification under the Green Campus Rating System, as announced in an official statement on Tuesday.
The certification was presented to Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati by IGBC National Chairman C Sekhar Reddy during a ceremony at New Abhishek Hall in Lok Bhavan. The campus achieved an impressive score of 88 out of 100, securing its place in the top tier of the IGBC rating system.
“Odisha’s Lok Bhavan becomes India’s first Lok Bhavan to be certified green and Platinum and also the first-ever Platinum-rated campus under the revised and stringent IGBC Green Campus v1 rating system (launched July 2024). It is also the First Lok Bhavan in the country to adopt an all-electric official carcade,” the Governor’s House stated.
During a press interaction, Kambhampati expressed pride in this accomplishment for Odisha, emphasizing that the certification is a testament to the dedicated efforts made to develop Lok Bhavan into a green campus.
He noted, “The certification recognises the green cover, clean energy generation and use of electric vehicles, among other initiatives. Whatever steps were suggested were taken up by Lok Bhavan, and ultimately we achieved the highest rating.”
Kambhampati mentioned his intention to share this achievement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his next visit to Delhi, hoping it would inspire other institutions to pursue sustainable practices and green certifications.
The Governor also called on universities throughout Odisha to seek green certification, highlighting their potential to foster environmental awareness among the thousands of students who pass through their campuses each year.
He further elaborated on the renewable energy initiatives at Lok Bhavan, noting the campus has a solar power capacity of 635 kWp and encouraged more households and institutions to invest in rooftop solar systems.
“Germany has around 100 sunny days, yet it harnesses solar power. We have around 300 sunny days. If we do not harness this power, it will be a crime,” he remarked.
As part of its commitment to sustainability, Lok Bhavan has also transitioned to an all-electric official vehicle fleet. Additionally, plans are underway to install small windmills on the campus to further enhance renewable energy use.
Kambhampati mentioned that this green transformation would extend to the Lok Bhavan in Puri, where efforts to obtain green certification are planned, starting with a proposed 100-kW solar power plant to enhance the campus’s environmental friendliness.
He emphasized that these initiatives are part of a larger movement towards cleaner energy in Odisha and nationwide, with a growing focus on renewable sources like solar and wind.
Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan praised the Governor’s dedication to environmental protection, stating that the green transformation of Lok Bhavan reflects concrete actions taken and serves as a source of pride for Odisha. He encouraged government departments to integrate green practices in their future building projects.
