In a cityscape dotted by energy guzzling high-rises, the municipal corporation has decided to set the precedent for going green. The first ever civic green building complex is all set to come up on a sprawling 52,000 sq m plot in Borivali. The project is part of the BMC's upgradation plans for its Civic Training Institute & Research Centre (CTIRC) situated near the National Park. "It will have all the standard features of Platinum buildings under the LEED rating system,'' said architect PK Das, the consultant for the project. Platinum is the highest rating given under the US building council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) system for green buildings world-over. The CTIRC will borrow elements from existing Platinum buildings in India like the ITC Centre at Gurgaon, Grundfos Pumps Corporate Office at Chennai and the IOC Corporate Office in New Delhi. The complex will make use of a host of energy conservation techniques for glare-free and low heat natural lighting through the day. Rooms will be fitted with sensors that switch off the lights when there is sufficient natural light or when the room is unoccupied. There will also be systems for ground water recharge, rainwater harvesting, gray water treatment and use of solar energy. To prevent harmful emissions, heat load and noise pollution, internal roads for vehicular traffic will be planned along the periphery of the complex. The existing classrooms and hostel on the ground will be re-oriented in energy efficient ways. The complex would be expanded to accommodate a recreation centre with a swimming pool and courts for basketball, badminton and tennis, guesthouses and a new administrative building. The eco-housing cell, which would scrutinise all proposals for green projects in the city, would operate out of this building. The BMC has already invited tenders from contractors willing to execute the project. According to additional municipal commissioner Manu Kumar Shrivastav, once completed two years later, this complex will serve as a model for all future eco-housing projects in the city. "We will be formally launching our eco-housing concept for the city at a stakeholders meeting in April now that it has already been approved by the corporation,'' said Shrivastav.