The two-day 17th GRIHA Summit 2025, held at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, successfully concluded on November 4, 2025, reinforcing India’s leadership in sustainable built environments. Hosted by the GRIHA Council, the summit convened thought leaders, policymakers, and sustainability practitioners from India and abroad to deliberate on the theme: “Innovate to Act for a Climate Resilient World”.
Key Themes and Leadership Voices
The discussions highlighted the urgency of advancing innovation-led action for a climate-resilient future. Sessions explored crucial topics like:
- The role of education in fostering climate literacy.
- Innovations transforming urban resilience.
- Circular economy solutions for waste management.
- Approaches to tackling air pollution through sustainable design.
Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI and President, GRIHA Council, emphasized that the theme encapsulates the intent of the evolving climate discourse: that innovation must be purpose-driven, resilience must be designed in, and collaboration is non-negotiable. She noted the conversations and partnerships forged must take on greater significance leading up to COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
Mr. Sanjay Seth, Vice President & CEO, GRIHA Council, stressed that the summit’s strength lies in the unity of diverse voices coming together to translate ideas into impact. Senior officials, including Shri Srinivas Katikathala (Secretary, MoHUA) and H.E. May-Elin Steiner (Ambassador of Norway), called for rapid innovation in solar integration, resilient urban design, efficient building materials, and performance-based planning.
Mr. Sanjay Kulshrestha, Chairman and Managing Director, HUDCO, stated the summit’s theme resonates strongly with India’s sustainable development vision and aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 13 on Climate Action.
Innovation Showcases and Recognitions
The summit featured significant demonstrations, new publications, and an awards evening.
- Exhibits included a full-scale Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) façade demonstration, showcasing the seamless integration of renewable energy into architectural systems.
- The Nirmaan Architectural Design Competition Gallery displayed creative student-led projects reimagining climate-responsive architecture.
- First Prize (ARCS Design Studio Mumbai) and Special Mention (Madras Spaces, Chennai) were awarded in the student competition.
- The GRIHA Felicitation Ceremony honored projects achieving GRIHA 3-Star and the winners of the GRIHA Exemplary Awards for outstanding performance in sustainability and resource efficiency.
- 5-Star GRIHA Projects recognized for excellence included the Lotus Petal Senior Secondary School Sohna, Haryana (Existing) and Prerna Sankul Mehsana School, Gujarat (Existing).
- The summit also saw the release of new GRIHA publications and the GRIHA Rating Framework for Metro Systems.
In a Special Address, Mr. Gulshan Grover, Guest of Honour, reflected that the path to sustainability lies in blending traditional knowledge with modern science and technology, urging all stakeholders to make sustainability their “everyday script”.
The Path Forward
The 17th GRIHA Summit reaffirmed that India’s path to climate-resilient growth relies on collaborative innovation, strong policy support, and recognition of excellence. The event successfully translated meaningful exchanges into a collective resolve to advance India’s journey toward a sustainable future.
5-Star GRIHA Certified Projects
Recognized for outstanding energy efficiency, low-carbon performance, and climate-responsive design:
- Lotus Petal Senior Secondary School, Sohna, Haryana
- Prerna Sankul Mehsana School, Gujarat
- Akshit Jyoti, Jabalpur & Bastar, Chhattisgarh (SVA GRIHA)
- Kharagpur Divisional Office Building, LIC of India, West Bengal
- InterGlobe Education Services Ltd., Greater Noida
- InterGlobe Real Estate Venture Pvt. Ltd.
- Expansion & Modernization of The British School, New Delhi
- Utkarsh Tower, Varanasi (Final Rating)
- Kaushal Bhawan, New Moti Bagh, New Delhi (Provisional)
- REC Limited Corporate Office, Gurugram (Provisional)
- CSIR-AMPRI Green Lab Building, Bhopal (Provisional)
- Uttarakhand Niwas, New Delhi (Provisional)
- Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi (Provisional)
