The ADB Headquarters Building

Future Directions

In November 2006, ADB was pleased to achieve ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 recertification, confirming that EHSMS complies with international standards. This also resulted in establishing a fresh set of objectives, targets, and programs for continued quality improvement and to guide efforts in managing corporate environmental footprint over the next 3 years.

The use of renewable energy (such as photovoltaic devices) for the Headquarters' building is now under study, and ways to incorporate such alternative energy sources into building maintenance is being considered.

Initial contacts with solar panel system integrators to study the feasibility of installing model units at Headquarters have been carried out.

Ways to further reduce water consumption has been considered in the 2007 program of the Water Conservation Committee and will begin re-using some treated waste water in 2007, for irrigating lawns and gardens in the compound of Headquarters.

Considerable effort already has been given to reducing the environmental footprint of the ADB Headquarters' building. The India Resident Mission has been separately certified under ISO 14001, and this step will be explored for other large field offices.

ADB has also been striving to keep the greenhouse gas emissions as low as possible, by ensuring that the Headquarters' building is energy efficient through corporate operations, introducing videoconferencing to reduce air travel, and beginning the practice of purchasing carbon offsets to ensure that major conferences and workshops are carbon neutral.