The recent interim union budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 presented by the Government of India focuses on building homes for rural communities and for the middle class under the PMAY (Grameen) and ‘Housing for All’ initiatives. This step will fan the momentum of the housing sector development by expanding the vision of affordable housing options for all strata of society. JAN GRIHA, by virtue of its simplicity, is easily adaptable by the common man. The ease of implementation will ensure that this sector of affordable, self-constructed residential houses is included in the spectrum of assessment of the buildings sector, whilst promoting mass outreach in sustainable housing for all.
Jan Awas Nirman GRIHA (JAN GRIHA) is a pioneering framework, focusing on inclusivity, awareness and impact assessment at the grassroot level, through the affordable self-construct housing segment. It aims at strengthening initiatives adoptable at a household level and promoting individual eco-friendly lifestyle choices to reduce individual carbon footprints of low- and middle-income groups.
The carbon emissions footprint of a single self-construct affordable to mid-segment house is negligible compared to the whole numbers; and proportionately the mitigation component of this segment individually is very minimal. However, cumulatively this whole segment can contribute to high carbon emissions and holds untapped potential to mitigate it. There was an implementation gap primarily due to the economic constraints, technical misunderstandings and lack of awareness that this segment was not brought in earlier. To meet India’s commitment to go net-zero emissions by 2070, all sectors and segments will have to work in collaboration. Exclusion of this segment will hinder this commitment.
This certification is formulated with the intent to:
- spread the idea of sustainability at grass root level,
- recognize the small efforts made by low-income group people towards sustainability,
- encourage them to adopt modifications in their choices to lower their carbon footprint
JAN GRIHA, in its essence, is a simple checklist that comprises easy-to-implement interventions like installation of LED lights, use of local materials, provision of e-vehicle charging points, bettering indoor air quality by use of low VOC & lead-free paints and providing plants, dry & wet waste segregation, providing windows for daylight, shading to avoid glare, cool roof applications, use of BEE star-labelled appliances, installation of renewable energy systems, etc.
