GRIHA launches rating system for government houses for urban poor

The Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) Council has launched ratings for houses constructed under the government\'s affordable housing scheme, indicating their level of sustainability. There would be ratings between one and five stars. This would help consumers know about the sustainability of the houses. The GRIHA Council is an not-for-profit society jointly setup by TERI and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to promote green buildings in India. In his keynote address at the GRIHA Summit, Ambassador of Switzerland to India and Bhutan Mr Andreas Baum said the Indo-Swiss collaboration is working with the Indian Bureau of Energy Efficiency in the development of guidelines for energy efficient housing.