Unveiling of Plaque for Green Hills, Dehradun

ONGC reinforced its leading stature among the select group of global Indian companies with sustainability at the core of their business ethic with the unveiling of its first ‘Green Building’ at the company headquarters in Dehradun on May 12, 2013. Designed to blend seamlessly in the green and salubrious environs of the hill station, ‘Green Hills’, as the building has been officially named, is a strong reflection of the Maharatna company’s sustainability outlook and environmental stewardship.

With a total built up area of 14600 square meters, the five-storied landmark structure, designed by one of the leading architects of the country Hafeez Contractor, can seat 620 persons. It has also been registered with United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) under Clean Development Mechanism and is expected to generate 735 Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) every year for the organization. The building which scores impressively on parameters of energy efficiency and water management, the cornerstones of ‘Sustainable’ architecture globally, also promises to foster a more natural work environment for ONGCians at work through clever usage of ‘intelligent lighting’ for the building by use of sensors for day light control which ensures the optimal availability of natural sunlight. Envisioned by the iconic former Chairman of ONGC Late Mr. Subir Raha to mirror the organization’s commitment to reduction of its carbon footprint, ONGC’s green office spaces are more than mere markers of the company’s intent – they will exemplify, as ‘Green Hills’ does, the ethos and business ideals of a company that is progressive, in thought and in practice.

CMD Mr. Sudhir Vasudeva, while inaugurating the ‘Green Hills’, said, “With the formal inauguration of its first Green Building on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, ONGC hopes that this will usher in an era of undiminishing energy finds. Also the coffers of not only the organization but of the country will be filled always.” He stated that the green building is an ample statement of the company’s green credentials and its willing subscription to the precepts of sustainable business.

Environmentally consonant architecture or sustainable building has become the emergent trend globally providing meaningful solutions to the key issues of efficient energy usage, relevant design, aesthetics and, above all, the practical usefulness in the realm of development of ideal work environs. In that light, ‘Green Hills’ is a sterling example in the Indian context. More such office buildings are slated to come up in ONGC workcentres at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad in the near future.