By Business India Editorial

Confederation of Indian Industry’s India Green Building Council has set 2050 as the target for net-zero buildings.

The decision was taken recently during the three-day Green Building Congress 2021 in Hyderabad, following India’s commitment to becoming net-zero by 2070, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during COP26 in Glasgow earlier this month.

The virtual event also marked the launch of IGBC green building rating systems on net-zero waste and framework on net-zero carbon buildings to address environmental concerns. The event, themed ‘Net-Zero Buildings and Built Environment’, was inaugurated by Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to India.

Alex Ellis said: “The COP26 Conference in Glasgow was momentous, as it sets the world to the path of net zero. Over 90 per cent of the world's economies are now covered by net-zero pledges. The discussion is no longer on 'if' countries should be net zero, the question is by ‘when’ and ‘how’ will be they be net-zero.”

As part of the Climate Change Roadmap, the UK government will invest in green projects and renewable energy in India, encourage British businesses to collaborate with Indian counterparts to work on sustainability projects and carry out publicly funded research and development programmes. It will continue to work together with the Indian government in providing sustainable and viable solutions to climate change.

Jamshyd Godrej, Past President of CII, said: “Green buildings are a huge opportunity to slow down a rapidly warming earth. Action by businesses to promote and use green buildings will be a competitive advantage for decades. The Green Building Congress has always been a platform to facilitate advancing green building movement in the country.”

V Suresh, Chairman of IGBC, said: “The Green Building Movement in India is growing from strength to strength. The Green Building Congress 2021 features a 3-day virtual conference and a 30-day online expo that showcases the latest green building technologies, green products and services. The UK is the partner country for the event, adding further impetus to the conference.”