The emerging concept of sustainable urban transformation strongly emphasises structural transition procedures that are extensive, multidimensional, and capable of extreme change. Cities are strategically significant and connected to sustainable development and the green economy. UN-Habitat, the UN organisation responsible for sustainable human settlements, has termed the twenty-first century the “Urban Century.” This isn’t just because more and more individuals are relocating to urban areas; in reality, metropolitan regions already house more than 50% of the world’s population, and this tendency will persist in the years ahead.

Broader perspectives to consider: Indian green building

The concentration of people, activities, and resource usage in urban areas also presents opportunities for significant efficiency gains and multipurpose solutions that combine many sustainability objectives. Thus Indian green buildings are also centres of innovation and creativity, where amazing transformation is possible. However, it is becoming more widely accepted that national and international policies must be implemented to achieve their objectives on a broader level. Cities largely influence global consumption, production, and pollution and also have connections to significant issues, including poverty, trash, waste management, and greenhouse gas emissions. 

Indian green building business model: Industry to boom in the future thus driving India's greening plans - Sheet1
A vector depiction of a self-sustaining sustainable habitat_©(https://www.grc-india.com/green-building-consultant)

Urban development transformations can be successfully directed towards the Indian green building business model by comprehending the prospects for sustainability, encouraging active participation among many stakeholders, and integrating different viewpoints and bodies of information and skills. To comprehend the effects a green building can have on them, one must alter how they view buildings and how they work, it also requires critical thinking concerning how one can create the upcoming structures. How can one utilise techniques and technologies more effectively? 

Frameworks supporting business model:

The construction industry is anticipated to become more concentrated on energy efficiency, the use of sustainable materials, and the design of structures that minimise their environmental impact due to increased concerns about climate change and a greater emphasis on environmental sustainability. India has emerged as one of the leading countries in terms of green building projects. Thus, administration and management, technology and economics, and lifestyles and consumption are the three main aspects supporting India’s greening plans for the future. 

Indian green building business model: Industry to boom in the future thus driving India's greening plans - Sheet2
Graph displaying % of new green buildings as per market growth_©(https://edgebuildings.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/India-Green-Building-Market-Intelligence.pdf)

The green economy tends to have a strong emphasis on innovation and developing technologies, the result of which Indian projects are becoming more inclined towards green building certification criteria as they use processes and technologies that are environmentally friendly and energy efficient throughout the building’s lifecycle, from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction.

Sustainable urban economic growth can promote symbiotic partnerships among businesses, governments, academic institutions, and residents to ensure the long-term management of human ecological and economic capital. One can say that it’s feasible to specify how to design, support, and regulate more green buildings by defining an enhanced quality of life and constructing sustainable lifestyle visions. Cities that are built of green, well-planned structures can address the major environmental, social, and economic issues of the twenty-first century.

A step towards a green economy: Indian green building

Some of the major international organisations that define, classify, and certify green buildings in various nations include LEED (USA), BREEAM (UK), DGNB (Germany), and CASBEF (Japan), just as the IGBC and GRIHA specify the green construction standards in India. The expert claimed that green buildings might enhance the ecology of the environment in a variety of ways in the coming future, including reducing energy use by 20–30%, water usage by 30–50%, and garbage creation dramatically through extensive recycling.

Because of their long-term benefits, such as lowering greenhouse gas emissions and improving local air quality, or enhancing resilience and creating public space areas in the city, more and more industries, individuals, and public projects are shifting towards sustainable green solutions. The importance of finding strategies that can address multiple urban sustainability challenges simultaneously has led to a growing interest in nature-based solutions, which has caused the industry to boom in this area. Affordability is also a driving factor in expansion; countries with a higher population and fewer resources will be more likely to adopt green building standards.

Indian green building business model: Industry to boom in the future thus driving India's greening plans - Sheet3
The green housing market is being led by the sustainable housing leadership consortium_©(https://edgebuildings.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/India-Green-Building-Market-Intelligence.pdf)

Data-based growth rates:

Although green building construction is widespread nationwide, it is particularly common in and around major metropolises like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai. 

  • There are 146 LEED-certified structures overall in India.
  • The USGBC has over 2000 projects registered for LEED certification.
  • More than 7,500 projects have been submitted to the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC)
  • By 2030, the global market for green building materials is expected to reach $511.2 billion. 
  • By 2050, the green construction sector has the potential to cut energy use by at least 50% globally.

Green buildings may be up to 15% more expensive than conventional ones. However, the long-term advantages, such as cheap running costs and significant health benefits for occupiers, make it a viable alternative. Accordingly, increased awareness, environmental benefits, government support, subsidies, and compulsions is going to fuel the rise of green buildings in India. The importance of finding strategies that can address multiple urban sustainability challenges simultaneously has led to a growing interest in nature-based solutions, which has caused the industry to boom in this area.

Resources: Indian green building

Pti (2018) ‘indian green building market to double by 2022’, The Hindu BusinessLine. Available at: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/real-estate/indian-green-building-market-to-double-by-2022/article23391602.ece (Accessed: March 26, 2023). 

Businesses need to go deeper to drive India’s Greening plans (no date) The Economic Times. Available at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/sme-sector/businesses-need-to-go-deeper-to-drive-indias-greening-plans/articleshow/96334057.cms?from=mdr (Accessed: March 26, 2023). 

Green buildings: Mitigating climate change and scope for robust Indian Realty (2022) SY Blog. Available at: https://www.squareyards.com/blog/green-buildings-mitigating-climate-change-and-scope-for-robust-indian-realty (Accessed: March 26, 2023). 

India Green Building Market Maturity Snapshot 20201 (no date). Available at: https://edgebuildings.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IFC0077-2021-India-Green-Building-Market-Maturity-Sheet_R3.pdf (Accessed: March 26, 2023). 

Erandole, S. (2022) 10 facts about green buildings that architects must know – RTF: Rethinking the future, RTF | Rethinking The Future. Available at: https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/sustainable-architecture/a2320-10-facts-about-green-buildings-that-architects-must-know/ (Accessed: March 26, 2023). 

Author

Sonali is an architect by profession and appreciates the process of writing. She is enthralled by both its impact and magnificence and is a dedicated writer who hopes to expand on her professional expertise and apply various viewpoints to each task. She prefers doing research and making an effort to comprehend the literary elements that connect the readers.