Backed by the Ministry of Housing the Sustainable Housing Leadership Consortium (SHLC) comprising builders Godrej Properties, Mahindra Lifespaces, Shapoorji Pallonji, Tata Housing and VBHC Value Homes, has pledged to make at least a fifth of their new housing developments sustainable by 2022, as the country looks to tap sectors other than renewable energy to meet its ambitious climate goals.
Builders will use mainly local skill pool and recycled material. They will design homes that conserve water and electricity and make best use of natural light and wind patterns, while also pursuing more energy-efficient methods of construction.
The construction industry has one of the biggest carbon footprints. The real-estate sector is responsible for nearly a quarter of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions. Those emissions come mainly from energy-intensive processes in making construction materials such as steel, cement and bricks, so it’s really important for them to take action to minimize the impact and thus help India in meeting its Paris Agreement targets of reducing carbon emissions by a third by 2030.