Supporting Sustainability

Real Estate developers of renown speak with MGS Architecture on what resources they are using to align their buildings’ design, orientation and construction within the prescribed norms and standards, and the initiatives they are taking in the construction and design of their projects to bring about a more far-reaching impact on the real estate sector, so that sustainable urbanisation in Indian cities becomes a reality

Vaibhav Jambhekar is Head, Strategy, Business Excellence & Sustainability at Mahindra Lifespace Developers

Our partnerships such as the Mahindra-TERI Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Habitats is focused on research in energy-efficient housing for Indian climatic conditions, and the Sustainable Housing Leadership Consortium is aimed at mainstreaming green homes in India



Vaibhav Jambhekar

With visionary initiatives such as 100 Smart Cities and Housing for All, urban infrastructure is now in sharp focus for its role in nation-building. And with it, the adoption of green construction/building practices is also on the rise.

The government is also supporting this sustainability drive by implementing various schemes, guidelines and initiatives. Various states have made green rating mandatory for government/PSU projects. Furthermore, benefits such as additional FAR, discounted development premium, fast-track environmental clearance, house tax rebate, and concessional rate of interest for loans, depending on their respective junctions; have been launched. Steps are being taken towards the alignment of regional building codes with national standards for promoting sustainable construction practices and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

There is growing need for awareness of the benefits of sustainability – for the larger ecosystem, including home buyers. With rising awareness, the demand for green products and practices will surge and lead to standardization of designs and practices, thereby, reducing costs.

As pioneers in sustainable urbanisation in India, we have forged strategic partnerships such as the Mahindra-TERI Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Habitats - focused on research in energy-efficient housing for Indian climatic conditions, and Sustainable Housing Leadership Consortium (SHLC) - a private sector led initiative aimed at mainstreaming green homes in India.

Samyak Jain, Director, Siddha Group

We are employing technologies that would help us improve the quality of our products and provide our homebuyers the best services




Samyak Jain

Protecting the environment is the priority in this world today. For this, usage of materials that would cause no harm to nature, is something every sector today focuses on. In the real-estate sector, developers are inclined towards the construction of homes through the green building process. The process is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient which would contribute to the property’s life-cycle, from designs that would be durable and comfortable to its construction, operation, maintenance, and renovation.

Developers need to create designs that would help to minimize the use of energy consumption devices and focus more on the usage of environment-friendly materials that are inexpensive and also which would meet the sustainability needs of not only the present generations but also the future generations.

As a real estate developer, we at Siddha Group, are inclined towards Green Building Construction and have taken few initiatives towards sustainable urbanization by using PPC (Portland Pozzolana Cement), PSC (Portland Slag Cement), AAC block, Fly Ash Bricks and environment-friendly products. Also, to reduce use of wooden shuttering, we have been using Aluminium shuttering. Over the past few years to achieve sustainable development, we are implying technologies that would help us improve the quality of our products and provide our homebuyers the best services.

Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani, co-Founder & MD, Hiranandani Group

Sustainable urbanization is about a holistic perspective and not restricted to just construction and design. It has to begin with the thought process while planning a project and should be visible in implementation as also post-handover to end-users, in the maintenance.

Any real estate offering from the Hiranandani Group is created keeping in mind all parameters of sustainability. This aspect is about being eco-friendly in deeds rather than just in words; about giving back to Mother Nature while creating an urban habitat. Water recycling and recharging of the water table below our project land is one aspect; we also process wet garbage to extract methane gas which powers some common utilities, while the by-product (compost) is used as organic fertilizer to ensure a verdant green environment.

Project layout is planned to provide maximum light and air passages, reducing the need for excessive power consumption within the project’s units. Common utility spaces are powered by solar and wind-generated electricity – it is a holistic approach which ensures the least damage to the environment during the construction phase, as also eco-friendly living for the end-user once the project is handed over.

We take a holistic approach in our project planning, layout and implementation to ensure minimum damage to the environment during the construction phase

Farshid Cooper, MD, Spenta Corporation

We believe that sustainable development can be made by making few conceptual changes, which don’t require much capital, for instance, we design apartments with zero wastage




Farshid Cooper

Sustainability in real estate development has always been thought as a measure which requires a substantial amount of capital and yield less benefit, but we, at Spenta, believe that sustainable development can be made by making few conceptual changes, which don’t require much capital; but wherever it’s essential we invest for the betterment of urbanization.

We design apartments with zero wastage, which helps us in reducing the construction area, leading to a reduction in concrete consumption. As a design philosophy, before we start any development, we do a wind and shadow analysis; this helps us in designing an apartment which has abundant natural light and better air circulation, and all this leads to lower electricity consumption.


In all our existing projects, we are providing solar panels, rainwater harvesting system & sewage treatment plant. Solar panels help us in powering the common utilities of real estate development thereby reducing dependency on fossil fuel generated electricity. In an era where the water table is lowering rapidly, installing rainwater harvesting system helps in recharging the groundwater. Sewage treatment plant treats the wastewater generated from households and makes it reusable for activities such as toilet flushing, gardening etc. This results in a reduction of water requirement by 40%.

Urbanization is changing real estate as with an increase of transparency in this sector and smart investment strategy, it could boost investors’ and buyers’ confidence.


Shabbir Kanchwala, Senior Vice President, K Raheja Corp

We signed a MoU with the CII-Green Building Council to construct green buildings in 2007, and we continue to remain committed to promoting sustainable living



Shabbir Kanchwala

Constructing Green buildings will make significant contributions to a more sustainable future for the planet. Sustainability and green are concepts that promote energy renewal, re-use, preserving natural resources, and harnessing the power of the sun and the wind.

There are a plethora of techniques that can be incorporated in construction with minimal or zero impact on the environment. HVAC helps to decrease the energy consumption of a building from the electricity grid, thus contributing to reduction in emission of pollutants including GHG emissions. Glazing, using low 'e' double glazed glass, reduced heat ingress. The Net Zero Concept (Zero Energy and Zero Water) depends on renewable sources to produce as much energy as they use, and does not get influenced by any external source for energy and water.


An Integrated Building Management System controls a building’s heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting and other systems to help improve the security and comfort of the residents, and decrease energy consumption and operating costs, which improve the lifecycle of the utilities. Furthermore, builders must ensure use of eco-friendly building materials, design buildings for optimal natural light, passive solar heating, healthy indoor air quality, water-efficient fixtures, mechanical systems and energy to create sustainable buildings.

K Raheja Corp is cognizant of its responsibility towards creating a greener tomorrow, which is reflected in all its projects. The company signed a MoU with the CII-Green Building Council to construct green buildings in 2007 and remains committed to promoting sustainable living.