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NT Bureau
Chennai, Apr 20:
 

US Assistant Secretary of Commerce David Bohigan presenting the green award for Olympia Tech Park to its promoter Ajit Chordia at a function on Wednesday. Also seen is American Consul General David T Hopper.

        Olympia Tech Park at Guindy was awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold rating for being the largest green building in the world.

        LEED award instituted by US Green Building Council is the environment industry's equivalent to the Olympic gold medal. Olympia Park is one of the biggest buildings in Chennai and spread over 1.8 million sq ft, the high-tech structure is the first to adopt green standards formulated by the US-based ASHARE. Olympia has 62 per cent greenery and is the result of a planned, strategic approach to eco-friendliness.

        US Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Market Access and Compliance David Bohigan handed over a plaque Khivraj Tech Park director Ajit Chordia, one of the promoters of Olympia Tech, at a function on the premises of the green campus on Wednesday. 'Earlier, environmental concerns determined our working conditions. But now, we are capable of shaping the environment according to our needs and wish and that too, without damaging it,' Bohigan said.

        Later speaking to the reporters, Ajit Chordia said, 'The LEED rating boils down to one word — credibility. If we had marketed the project as green but without the various initiatives to achieve the certification, few would have believed us.' Besides officials from the US Green Building Council, American Consul General David T Hopper took part in the function at Olympia Tech.

        Olympia Technology Park is a joint venture between many large companies like Eveready Industries, Khivraj group, Space group and M K group. The Rs 400-crore IT tech park has been incorporated with specially-treated materials and glass to gain maximum thermal efficiency and use of natural light. The mammoth building has eco-friendly attributes like double-glass glazing that reduces heat by lowering the load of air-conditioners, 100 per cent recylcing of water, facade design based on sun movement to optimise light and shade, energy-saving lighting system, scientific waste disposal method and recycled material used in construction. Global majors and MNCs like Hewlett Packard, Verizon Data Services, ABN AMRO, Hewitt Associates, Mindtree Consulting and others have set up their offices at Olympia Tech.