As Gujarat continues to emerge as a preferred destination for major sporting events, sports tourism and large-scale infrastructure investments, the summit examined how sports-led growth can serve as a catalyst for sustainable urban development, green infrastructure, climate-resilient hospitality, and low-carbon industrial ecosystems.
Gujarat has established itself as one of India's leading green building states, currently ranking fourth in the country with 1,574 registered green building projects covering over 1.5 billion sq. ft., and 750 certified projects accounting for more than 1.07 billion sq. ft. of green built-up area. The state's green building footprint spans diverse sectors, including 912 commercial projects, 516 residential projects, 115 industrial and logistics projects, 14 built environment projects, 13 transit infrastructure projects, and 4 Net Zero projects, reflecting the widespread adoption of sustainable development practices across Gujarat.
The inaugural session was graced by Shri M. Thennarasan, IAS, Principal Secretary, Urban Development & Urban Housing Department, Government of Gujarat, and had industry perspectives from Mr. Sameer Sinha, Past Chairman, IGBC Ahmedabad Chapter and Managing Director, Savvy Greens; Ar. Jayesh Hariyani, Immediate Past Chairman, IGBC Ahmedabad Chapter and Chairman & Managing Director, INI Design Studio; Mr. Taral Shah, Chairman, IGBC Ahmedabad Chapter and Managing Director, Shivalik Group; and Mr. Shaan Zaveri, Co-Chair, IGBC Ahmedabad Chapter and Partner, Collated Ventures LLP, along with developers, architects, urban planners, sustainability professionals, and industry representatives. The summit reinforced Gujarat's growing leadership in green buildings and sustainable infrastructure, while creating a platform for dialogue, knowledge sharing and collaboration to accelerate the state's transition towards Net Zero development and climate-resilient growth.
Addressing the gathering as the Chief Guest, Shri M. Thennarasan, IAS, Principal Secretary, Urban Development & Urban Housing Department, Government of Gujarat, highlighted the importance of embedding sustainability into the state's development agenda. “Gujarat stands at a defining moment in its urban development journey. As we aspire to host global events such as the 2036 Olympic Games and the World Aquatics Championships, we have a unique opportunity to use sports infrastructure as a catalyst for urban regeneration. Around the world, major sporting events have transformed cities by accelerating investments in mobility, housing, hospitality and public infrastructure. We envision a similar transformation for Ahmedabad and Gujarat—one that is globally competitive, inclusive and future-ready.
However, rapid urbanization and growing resource consumption demand a strong commitment to sustainability. Clean air, efficient water management and resource-conscious construction practices must become integral to the way we build and live. I urge all stakeholders to embed sustainability into both development projects and daily practices to ensure a better future for generations to come.
Through progressive policies and incentives, including support for affordable housing, the Government of Gujarat is committed to fostering sustainable urban growth. Our objective is not only to create world-class infrastructure for global events but also to build resilient, livable and environmentally responsible cities.”
Welcoming the delegates, Mr. Taral Shah, Chairman, IGBC Ahmedabad Chapter and Managing Director, Shivalik Group, underscored the transformative potential of sports-driven investments in accelerating green development. “Sports-led development presents a unique opportunity to drive sustainable urban growth. Every investment in sports infrastructure creates a multiplier effect across housing, hospitality, mobility and public infrastructure. As Gujarat continues its growth journey, our focus must be on ensuring that development is resource-efficient, climate-responsive and aligned with India's Net Zero aspirations. By embedding sustainability into planning, design and construction, Gujarat can create future-ready cities that are both economically vibrant and environmentally responsible.”
Setting the context for the summit, Ar. Jayesh Hariyani, Immediate Past Chairman, IGBC Ahmedabad Chapter and Chairman & Managing Director, INI Design Studio, emphasized the role of integrated design and planning in building future-ready communities. "Across the world, sports have emerged as catalysts for urban transformation, driving investments in infrastructure, tourism, hospitality and economic growth. For Gujarat, this presents a unique opportunity to build cities that are not only more vibrant and connected, but also more sustainable and resilient. As we plan, sustainability must be at the heart of every development decision. By integrating green building practices, resource efficiency and climate-responsive design, we can create a model of growth that supports both economic progress and environmental stewardship."
A key highlight of the summit was the panel discussion on ‘Net Zero Real Estate: The Developers’ Role in Defining Gujarat’s Urban Growth’, chaired by Mr. Sameer Sinha, Past Chairman, IGBC Ahmedabad Chapter and Managing Director, Savvy Greens. The session brought together leading developers including Mr. Taral Shah, Managing Director, Shivalik Group; Mr. Ridham Shah, Director, Rajyash Group; and Mr. Vineet Vaswani, Director Venus Infrastructure; The panelists discussed strategies for creating resilient, low-carbon and future-ready urban ecosystems, with a focus on ESG integration, green construction practices, energy-efficient developments, climate-responsive design and the evolving business case for sustainable real estate.
Another important session, chaired by Ar. Jayesh Hariyani, Immediate Past Chairman, IGBC Ahmedabad Chapter and Chairman & Managing Director, INI Design Studio, explored ‘Sports-Led Growth: Building Gujarat’s Green Hospitality & Sustainable Infrastructure Future.’ The ensuing panel discussion featured Mr. Pranav Gosain, Head – Technical Services, ITC; Mr. Kishan Kotecha, Director, Kotecha Group;
Mr. Devya Robin Goenka, Director, Sankalp Group; Ms. Shreya Dalwadi, Chairperson, IGBC Vadodara Chapter & Director, Harmony Planning Services Pvt. Ltd.; Ar. Rutvik Agnihotri, Secretary, IIA Ahmedabad Centre Principal Architect of Saayujya - Design Atelier, followed by a presentation on “Building for Legacy: The Future of Responsible Hospitality Development” by Ms. Sneha Agrawal, Founder, Collective Hotels & Director, Hillock Hotels. The deliberations focused on sustainable hospitality infrastructure, energy-efficient hotels, smart amenities and environmentally responsible tourism ecosystems capable of supporting sports tourism and large-scale sporting events.
The summit also featured a technical session on ‘Low-Carbon Construction Solutions for Gujarat’s Emerging Infrastructure’, chaired by Mr. Shaan Zaveri, Co-Chairman, IGBC Ahmedabad Chapter and Partner, Collated Ventures LLP. The session featured expert presentations by Mr. U. Gopinath, Manager – Sustainability & Design, Saint-Gobain India Private Limited.; Mr. Amarjit Singh Matharu, Business Head – GIS Division, Jaquar Group; Mr. Jeeshan Ali, Vice President, Syscore; and Mr. Eishaan Shah, Director, Nitya Ensafe. The speakers showcased emerging technologies, sustainable materials, water-efficient systems and innovative building practices that can significantly reduce the environmental footprint of future infrastructure projects.
In addition, participants attended specialized workshops on ‘Accelerating the Acceptance of Low-Carbon Cement’ and ‘Green Interiors’. The Low-Carbon Cement workshop featured addresses and sessions by Ms. Shashikala Agrawal, Senior Counsellor, CII-GBC; Mr. Karan Shah, Co-Chair, IGBC Vadodara Chapter and Director, Solcon Technologies LLP; Ms. Ipsita Patnaik, Counsellor, CII-IGBC; and Mr. Fattehsinh Gaikwad, Counsellor, CII-IGBC, focusing on the benefits of low-carbon cement and lifecycle assessment methodologies for reducing building emissions.
The Green Interiors workshop included addresses and presentations by Mr. Taral Shah, Chairman, IGBC Ahmedabad Chapter & Managing Director, Shivalik Group; Ar. Ankoor Sanghvi, Co-Chair, IGBC Rajkot Chapter and Principal Architect, AMAS Architects; Ar. R. Pushkala, Counsellor, IGBC Green Interiors; Ar. Sangramsinh Parmar, Associate Professor and Head–Space Design, ANU & Core Committee Member, IGBC Ahmedabad Chapter; and Ar. Arpan Johari, Founder & Principal Architect, AW Design & Co-Chair, IGBC Ahmedabad Chapter & Partner, Collated Ventures, highlighting sustainable interior design practices, innovation and indoor environmental quality.
The summit concluded with a strong consensus that sports-led growth can become a powerful enabler of sustainable economic development and a key driver of Gujarat’s Net Zero ambitions. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to advancing green building practices, accelerating innovation and strengthening collaboration between government, industry and academia to build a resilient, inclusive and sustainable future for Gujarat.
