CII CBRE conference on Infrastructure Management identifies solutions for a sustainable ecosystem

CII in association with knowledge partner CBRE concluded the 9th Regional Conference on Infrastructure Management with the theme ‘Building GREEN Real Estate’. The focus was on building a sustainable ecosystem and elucidated best practices that will enable the facilities management fraternity to adopt sustainable or green solutions.

Aditya Berlia, Vice Chairman, CII Delhi State, said, “Facility Management is at the interface of tenants, investors, contractors and local authorities and is thus on the frontline of implementing any plans to increase a building’s sustainability, in addition to interpreting the development of sustainable and environment friendly strategies.”

In Asia Pacific and India, commercial property owners and managers are deploying greater resources towards ensuring buildings are more resilient to the long-term environmental challenges. The deepening industry focus on enhancing resiliency in commercial real estate assets is resulting from the coordinated efforts of building owners, tenants, contractors and local authorities, according to CBRE’s Global Resilience & Property Management 2019 report.

Rajesh Pandit, Managing Director, GWS and PM, CBRE South Asia, said, “With investors taking increasing note of environmental risk, it is important for facility management to be proactive in enhancing building-level sustainability. This is coming of age and the next generation of real estate professionals will more closely resemble business managers and leaders who combine empathy, strategic thinking, commercial expertise and an eye for innovation with a healthy indoor environment, efficient energy usage and operational savings. This green initiative approach, led by Facility Managers, will more accurately reflect the role of the function as an enabler of change and agility as well as a key driver of performance.”

The conference emphasized solutions to transform the traditional practices with green initiatives and highlighted the pivotal role that technology is playing in this transformation. The panel concluded that green buildings are not only extremely efficient, but also produce enough power to meet their own energy requirements and can even send excess energy back into the power grid. Solar power is the most widely tested method for renewable energy. Photovoltaic cells can be installed not only on rooftops but also on building facades and even in transparent modules used as windows and skylights. Another key influencing sustainability factor is the inclusion of WELL Buildings and LEED certification as part of the built environment.

CII CBRE conference on Infrastructure Management
L - R: Madhav Singhania (Co-Chair CII Northern Regional Committee on NCR Pollution & Special Executive JK Cements), Gurjot Bhatia (MD- Project Management, CBRE), Kunal Kumar (Joint Secretary and Mission Director-Smart Cities, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, GoI), Gautam Gambhir (Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha), Aditya Berlia (Vice Chairman CII Delhi State and member of Management Board, Apeejay Stya and Svran Group and Pro-Chancellor, Apeejay Stya University)