Gurgaon, a city southwest of New Delhi, is hailing in a new future as a leader in sustainability, thanks to the ITC Green Centre. Often considered to be India’s corporate capital, this city is making a new name for itself with this new building. It is a prime example of green architecture and what is possible for other cities who have their sights set on reducing their carbon footprint. As climate change becomes a very real and unavoidable problem, projects and visions such as this signal hope. That’s true not only in developed nations, but also for developing nations like India.
Where is Gurgaon?
Situated on the Delhi-Haryana border, Gurgaon is about 30km southwest of New Delhi. It’s one of the major satellite districts of the capital. Its proximity to the central business hub of India has made it India’s second largest information technology hub, its largest hospitality hub, and one of the largest management consulting hubs.
It’s affectionately known as the Cocktail Capital of India. Why? Because of all its nightclubs, bars and liquor stores! It’s a playground for those seeking fun and entertainment. That includes employees who have ended a tough day of work at any of the huge corporations that call Gurgaon home.
Indeed, it’s a city that is bustling with activity thanks to the countless companies that are situated there. As the eighth wealthiest city in the country, thousands of startup companies have made Gurgaon their base. That’s why it is one of the leading innovation and economic hubs in India.
With it being so densely populated with businesses and people, it’s hard to imagine Gurgaon setting an example of sustainability in India. However, the ITC Green Centre Gurgaon is about to change all that. With so many businesses looking to Gurgaon for inspiration, this city sets the bar for commerce around the country. That’s why the ITC Centre Gurgaon is so important. It will make sustainability a top priority for businesses everywhere, thereby helping India reach its sustainability goals.
India’s sustainability goals
India’s commitment to sustainability and a greener future is crystal clear, thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious sustainability pledges. In 2025, the Prime Minister said, “Sustainable development of one-sixth of humanity will be of great consequence to the world and our beautiful planet. It will be a world of fewer challenges and greater hope; and, more confident of its success”.
In fact, India has been instrumental in setting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) globally by setting the bar very high in terms of future achievements. The country aims to reach 500 GW by 2030 and has pledged to be net zero by 2070. And it seems like the country is on track to achieve what it’s set out to do.
With its ‘Panchamarit’ framework, the country is undergoing a major energy transition and decarbonisation process. Both of these are complex when one considers how reliant the country has been on fossil fuels up until this point. The process is facilitated by making it easier to access green power, blending biofuels, and offering financial support for sustainable technologies like green hydrogen. Experts are also reviewing supply chains to bolster economic resilience and encourage independent energy sources.
India’s commitment to renewable energy
Of course, India’s persistently sunny weather helps when it comes to renewable energy sources. The government have utilised the country’s stable weather patterns to show how reliant green hydrogen is as an energy source. Five states have already implemented these policies to increase production and accelerate the creation of policies that encourage green investments.
As a result, renewable energy in India is booming and companies and individuals are obliged to make the switch. Coal does still play a big role in India’s energy production. That probably won’t change for a few decades as India’s transport system is already being pushed to its limits. Even so, the government have created many incentives for locals to purchase electric vehicles. They are offering to reduce road taxes and draw attention to financial benefits for those who do make the switch.
India is well on track to meet net zero. If it follows the path it’s on now, there’s nothing stopping the country from being a pioneer in sustainability. And ITC Green Centre Gurgaon is one prime example of green investment that is happening all over the country.
The ITC Centre Gurgaon: India’s first green building
Although it’s a masterpiece in green architecture, the ITC Green Centre Gurgaon is not the first green building in India. The first green building was actually the CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre in Hyderabad. A first of its kind, the building won the prestigious title of India’s first platinum-rated green building. It also won the status of net zero energy building.
The building attracted global attention because of its focus on energy efficiency, integration of solar panels, and a green roof for local biodiversity. It also integrates sustainable water practices, and a zero wastewater discharge. What followed was a wave of green buildings being built throughout India. The CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre provided the blueprint for all other green buildings in India to follow.
What makes ITC Green Centre Gurgaon sustainable?
The ITC Green Centre Gurgaon’s ingenious, forward-thinking design is one of the building’s stand-out features. Architect Sandeep Singh has managed to keep the building’s environmental impact to a minimum and reduces its overall carbon footprint. His design has incorporated eco-friendly characteristics, energy efficiency at every step, and water conservation methods.
ITC Green Centre’s modern technology and clever design
The ITC Green Center Gurgaon goes above and beyond to keep its environmental impact low. Amongst many other features, it boasts a zero-water discharge system, efficient solar thermal technology. It also keeps its reliance on the water grid to a minimum by preserving rainwater.
When it comes to insulation, the building’s design ensures that it doesn’t use too much energy to keep the building at a comfortable temperature. During winter, the double-glazed windows keep warm air inside. During summer, the windows don’t allow any heat to enter the building, meaning that they are well designed to moderate the building’s temperature all year round.
As for electricity consumption, there’s minimal exterior lighting that keeps the electricity bill low whilst modern technology means that lighting systems turn off automatically when they’re not needed. Additional advanced solar thermal technology uses natural resources to minimise the building’s reliance on the natural grid.
Finally, the building’s architectural design facilitates sustainable practices too. Sandeep Singh’s remarkable vision has natural light at the epicentre, utilising India’s sunny, warm weather to brilliant effect. Features such as the central atrium that is flooded with natural light, an open-plan layout and facade windows bring the natural world and modern engineering together. The result? A building that allows natural systems to do all the heavy lifting.
All systems work seamlessly together, thanks to world-class engineering and planning. This maximises the ITC Green Centre Gurgaon’s capacity and its independence from fossil fuels and non-renewable energy.
ITC Green Centre’s waste management policy
ITC Green Centre Gurgaon’s reputation of sustainability doesn’t just come from its design, but also from its everyday practices. One of ITC Green Centre Gurgaon’s focusses is waste management. Tour guides encourage visitors to produce as little waste as possible. They also closely monitor the waste in order to keep the levels as low as possible.
Like many modern buildings, ITC Green Centre Gurgaon has a waste segregation policy. Appropriate waste is recycled, and biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste is dealt with properly. On-site facilities also recycle and repurpose construction materials around the buildings for different things.
The multiple composting units also transform organic waste into compost for the gardens on the site. In this way, ITC Green Centre Gurgaon implements a full-circle waste policy that ensures that its carbon footprint is minimal.
ITC Green Centre’s green spaces
As previously mentioned, ITC Green Centre Gurgaon is surrounded by green spaces. These serve to emphasize the building’s green and sustainable conscience. And whilst these spaces are very aesthetically pleasing for those who visit, they play a pivotal role in local biodiversity.
By planting a wide variety of native plant species, the centre is a hive of natural wildlife. All manner of birds and insects finding refuge there. The addition of leafy trees not only offers respite from the sun but also contributes to a microclimate. This keeps the area slightly cooler throughout the summer months.
Employee wellbeing at ITC Green Centre
Sustainability doesn’t just apply to technological resources and environmental impact; it also refers to people! ITC Green Centre Gurgaon prides itself on the wellbeing of its employees by maintaining the comfort of the building itself. A far cry from the streets of New Delhi, the centre creates an atmosphere in which employees can thrive. Plenty of natural light, clean air, and temperature-controlled working spaces increases overall employee satisfaction and output.
Staff also invite employees to wellness retreats and programmes that encourage relaxation and boost productivity across the board. ITC Green Centre Gurgaon understands that the wellbeing of their employees starts with mental and physical health. They invest money into such things and proactively make their employees feel valued.
ITC Green Centre’s commitment to education about sustainability
As well as ensuring their employees’ wellbeing, the ITC Green Centre Gurgaon also educates the public on sustainability. That’s why they offer educational tours and workshops that explore and promote sustainable living practices.
On these tours, visitors learn more about the building’s modern technology, how it operates on an everyday basis, and how architectural features facilitates its status as one of the greenest buildings in India. Tour leaders also share tips on how they can incorporate such practices into their lives. That includes waste management, switching to renewable energy or making gardens more biologically diverse.
The ITC Green Centre Gurgaon LEED rating
Due to its incredible commitment to sustainability and environmental wellbeing, the ITC Green Centre won a LEED Platinum award. It’s the first ever LEED Platinum-rated building in the whole of India. Now that’s quite a feat!
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is administered by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). The ITC Green Centre Gurgaon has always been on USGBC’s eyeline. It even prompted high praise during a US state visit from the then US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. “This building may not be a regular stop on the tourist map, and no one would confuse it with the Taj Mahal. But it is a monument to the future,” she remarked.
Niranjan Khatri, General Manager at Welcomenviron Initiatives, also expressed his admiration of the building on World Environment Day. He said, “The ITC Green Centre has been meticulously built to promote the highest environmental standards, both for the individuals working within the building and the neighbourhood.” High praise indeed!
Of course, those working at ITC Green Centre Gurgaon were thrilled with the award. Ranjan Rellin who provided crucial input during the centre’s construction, spoke of the centre’s vision. “We wanted a workplace in which people were happy. We wanted to see smiling faces; healthy, energetic people.” For him, it was just as much about human wellbeing as it was about environmental wellbeing.
Such praise doesn’t come from nowhere. You only have to glace at ITC Green Centre Gurgaon’s LEED scoreboard to know that this building is light years ahead of others. Not only does it score 100% when it comes to sustainable sites, but it also achieves 9/10 when it comes to material and resources, 13/14 for water efficiency, and 13/15 for indoor environmental quality.
ITC Green Centre provides a blueprint for the future
The ITC Green Centre Gurgaon is an example of modern technology protecting humanity against the severe consequences of climate change. As weather patterns become more unpredictable and extreme, ITC Green Centre Gurgaon presents a sustainable future. It offers a blueprint for an infrastructure that gives back to the environment it calls home.
With the help of world-class architects and engineers, the centre is built to withstand high temperatures. It conserves water so the building is equipped for droughts, and recycles waste for food and plant production.
The centre also knows that they have to invest in people in order to preserve the planet’s future. It educates visitors on how to live more sustainable lives, inspiring the public with intelligent design and innovative ideas. Not only that; they can easily be incorporated into everyday lives.
It’s especially impressive in a country in India, where resources are not as readily available as they are in more developed countries. Through this centre, India is showing other developing countries that economic growth doesn’t have to come at the cost of the environment. Such projects actually safeguard countries against the harsh realities of climate change that are already affecting the whole of humanity. The ITC Green Centre Gurgaon is what responsible construction looks like in the 21st century. Everyone, from huge corporations to governments, small startups and individuals, should take note.
General information for visitors
Should you wish to visit the ITC Green Centre Gurgaon, its address is as follows:
ITC Green Center Building
Hotels Division Headquarters
Plot No. 10, Institutional Area, Sector 3
Gurugram, Haryana 122001, India
If you plan to go there by bus, the nearest station is IFFCO Chowk, which is a 1-minute walk away. The nearest tram stop is IFFCO Chowk which is serviced by tram line 2.
Should you wish to contact them before you visit, you can reach them at the following number:
+91 124 417 1717
Read more related articles on buz business.
