Summary of this article
Premium buyers increasingly value nature and wellness.
Green spaces are becoming residential value drivers.
Sustainability is shifting from feature to differentiator.
The Indian premium housing market is increasingly moving beyond prime locations, size, and conventional amenities. Sustainability, wellness, green spaces and climate emerge as some of the upcoming important elements of residential value. According to the Square Yards Green Living Index, June 2026, developed in partnership with Habitat Emprise. The report highlights a shift in how homes are evaluated as Indian cities expand and climate-related pressure intensifies. Homebuyers are increasingly becoming conscious of operating conservation, green open spaces and improved indoor environment changes and influences residential preferences.
This shift could be particularly relevant for India’s premium housing segment, where buyers are increasingly seeking differentiated lifestyle offerings. The report notes that homes are no longer evaluated solely on their location, price and amenities. Energy efficiency, thermal comfort, water management, and green cover now contribute to the decision-making process of homebuyers.
“The definition of premium housing in India is evolving beyond larger homes, prime addresses and conventional luxury amenities. Increasingly, buyers are evaluating a home through the lens of the quality of life it enables, with access to greenery, open spaces, natural light, privacy and wellness becoming important considerations. This is particularly relevant in cities such as Bengaluru, where rapid urbanisation has heightened the value of spaces that offer a sense of balance and connection with nature,” says Vishal Vincent Tony, Managing Director, Aratt Developers.
Green spaces become part of the housing proposition
The Green Living Index places Health and Comfort as one of the four key pillars, alongside Resource Efficiency, safety, resilience and connectivity. The health and comfort pillar evaluates indoor environmental quality and access to healthy living spaces as one of the few benchmarks for good housing options. The framework also considers green cover and ecology, including the green cover ratio based on RERA-declared open spaces and native landscaping.
For developers, this creates an opportunity to make sustainability a visible component of premium housing rather than just treating it solely as an environmental compliance measure. The report says sustainability can help developers differentiate projects, strengthen long-term assets, and respond to evolving regulatory and investor expectations.
NAREDCO pushes sustainability
The report highlights the role of the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) in driving sustainability across India’s real estate sector. It describes NAREDCO as the apex industry body under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs that has undertaken initiatives covering environmental administration, policy awareness and community development.
"Homebuyers today are asking more sophisticated questions than ever before. They want homes that are healthier, more efficient, and future-ready," says Kanika Gupta Shori, Founder and COO, Square Yards.
Sustainability moves from a feature to differentiator
India already has more than 15.9 billion sq ft of green-certified building space, according to the report. Yet, the study identifies a gap between the availability of sustainability initiatives and consumers’ ability to compare them when purchasing a home.
The Green Living Index seeks to address this gap by translating publicly available sustainability information into a standardised framework. Its broader message is that the future home will be assessed not just by its address or amenities, but by its ability to deliver long-term comfort, efficiency and resilience.
For premium housing, that could mean that greenery, wellness, resource efficiency and climate-conscious design increasingly become part of what buyers perceive as value, not merely additional amenities.
