Sustainable Construction Practices in India: An Overview

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of sustainable construction practices in India. It begins with an overview of the Indian construction industry, highlighting its growth and impact on natural resources. The report then delves into the current state of sustainable construction in India, including the adoption of green building practices and the role of various rating systems. It identifies factors hindering the adoption of sustainable construction, such as inadequate awareness, limited government policies, and a lack of skilled manpower. The report compares Indian construction practices with international standards, examining issues like waste management, alternative materials, and workforce skills. It also explores the importance of international exposure, the disadvantages of awarding contracts to foreign contractors, and methods used to promote sustainable construction in India, including awareness programs, training, and regulatory frameworks. The conclusion emphasizes the high prospects for sustainable construction in India and the need for government support and proper regulatory structures.

Sustainable Construction in India 1
SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA
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Sustainable Construction in India 2
Executive Summary
Adoption of sustainable construction is inevitable especially in relation to efforts of
solving the global problem of climate change. Many countries are applying different
strategies of promoting sustainable construction and focus of this paper is on India. The
main purpose of this report is to explore the current sustainable construction practices in
India, various strategies that other developed countries have used to promote
sustainable construction and the lessons that India can learn from them. Data and
information has been obtained from different sources and used to analyze the topic of
international sustainable construction and the adoption status in India. The study has
found that Indian construction industry is still dominated by conventional construction
practices that are characterized by high wastage, inadequate skilled labour force,
limited use of alternative materials and extensive use of traditional construction
methods. The Indian government, through India Green Building Council (IGBC) has
developed several initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable construction but the
adoption level in the country is still very low in comparison with developed countries
such as the U.S. and UK. There are also numerous methods that are used by other
countries, and which Indian can also use to improve adoption of sustainable
construction practices. Some of these methods include: increase public awareness,
develop and implement training programs, engage local business community, engage
the citizens, develop an appropriate regulatory framework, invest in strengthening
sustainable construction research and development (R&D), develop appropriate design
guides, provide incentives, and recognize and award the most sustainable construction
projects/structures. The prospects of sustainable construction in India are very high and
this provides great investment opportunities for both local and foreign contractors. It is
upon the government to put in place proper regulatory structures and be in the forefront
to encourage Indians to accept and adopt sustainable construction.

Sustainable Construction in India 3
Table of Contents
Executive Summary...............................................................................................................................2
1. Introduction......................................................................................................................................5
2. Construction Industry of India.....................................................................................................5
3. Sustainable Construction in India..............................................................................................6
4. Factors Hindering Adopting of Sustainable Construction Practices in India..................7
4.1. Inadequate awareness.............................................................................................................7
4.2. Limited government policies and strategies..........................................................................8
4.3. Tedious approvals and clearances.........................................................................................8
4.4. Lack of subject matter experts and skilled manpower.........................................................8
4.5. Inadequate incentives...............................................................................................................9
4.6. Expensive products, equipment and methods......................................................................9
4.7. Limited building codes and standards....................................................................................9
5. Pros and Cons of Construction Practices in India and International Practices............10
5.1. Wastage...................................................................................................................................10
5.2. Alternative materials...............................................................................................................11
5.3. Traditional construction methods..........................................................................................11
5.4. Unskilled workforce.................................................................................................................12
5.5. Policy initiatives.......................................................................................................................13
6. Importance of International Exposure.....................................................................................13
7. Disadvantages of Awarding Contracts to Foreign Contractors........................................15
7.1. Employment opportunities.....................................................................................................15
7.2. Business opportunities...........................................................................................................16
7.3. Monopoly..................................................................................................................................16
7.4. Cultural risk..............................................................................................................................17
7.5. Government revenue..............................................................................................................17
8. Methods used to promote sustainable construction in India............................................17
8.1. Awareness programs..............................................................................................................17
8.2. Training programs...................................................................................................................17
8.3. Regulatory framework............................................................................................................18
8.4. Engaging the local business community..............................................................................18
8.5. Engaging the citizens.............................................................................................................18
8.6. Strengthened sustainable construction research and development (R&D)....................18

Sustainable Construction in India 4
8.7. Design guides..........................................................................................................................19
8.8. Incentives.................................................................................................................................19
8.9. Recognition and awards.........................................................................................................19
9. Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................20
References................................................................................................................................................22

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1. Introduction
India is a developing country with a very ambitious development plan. One of the
key sectors that will determine successful implementation of this development plan is
construction industry. The industry will enable construction of roads, railways, airports,
ports and buildings that are needed to facilitate India’s transition from a developing
country to a developed country. However, it is also important for the country to assess
the social, economic and environmental impacts of this development plan. The
development will be ineffectual if it endangers the lives of future generations by leaving
no resources or depleted resources. Therefore it is very important for public and private
agencies and stakeholders in India to promote sustainable development for the benefit
of both the present and future generations (Kataria, et al., 2013).
Sustainability has become a very essential element in the construction industry
worldwide. Stakeholders in the construction industry are now more focused on creating
structures that are environmentally friendly and more sustainable (Vatalis, et al., 2011).
This has resulted to increased adoption of sustainable construction practices and
technological tools such as prefabrication, building information modeling (BIM),
nanotechnology, lean production, etc. (Mandal, et al., 2017); (Oke, et al., 2017). Some
of the benefits of sustainable construction include: cost reduction, waste minimization,
increased productivity, improved health, environmental protection, improved use of
natural materials, and improved quality of life, among others (Koutsogiannis, 2018). In
other words, sustainable construction has social, economic and environmental benefits.
This paper analyzes different aspects of sustainable construction in India and compares
it with international standards. The purpose of the paper is to provide information that
can help promote sustainable construction in India and make the practice competitive
with other countries.
2. Construction Industry of India
The population of India about is 1.35 billion and is projected to reach 1.5 billion by
2030 (World Population Review, 2018). About 33.2% of this population lives in urban
areas (Worldometers, 2018) and the country’s energy consumption is said to have
increased by 700% in the last four decades (Go Smart Bricks, 2016). The increasing

Sustainable Construction in India 6
population, industrialization and urbanization in India have put a lot of pressure on
natural resources. More natural resources are being extracted and depleted for the
construction of structures such as buildings, roads, highways, railways, dams, bridges,
airports, ports, etc. (Nair, 2015). The processes associated with these structures,
including planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance and demolition,
consume a lot of resources and emit large amounts of greenhouse gases hence the
need to develop and adopt practices that improve resource efficiency and minimize
greenhouse gas emissions. That is the reason why sustainability has become a critical
issue in India’s construction industry.
India is anticipated to be the third largest construction market in the world, following
China and USA, by 2021. By 2030, the global construction market is estimated to hit
$15.5 trillion and the top three markets (China, U.S. and India) are projected to account
for about 57% of the total market (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2018). The Indian
construction market comprises of real estate (residential, retail, office, leisure parks,
hotels, etc.) and urban development (urban transport, water supply, schools, healthcare
and sanitation). By 2025, Indian construction market is anticipated to reach $1 trillion
and the country’s economy will hit $10 trillion (National Real Estate Development
Council (NAREDCO), 2016). The industry contributes significantly to employment
(about 41 million people) and gross domestic product (GDP) (about 8%) (Dixit, et al.,
2017). The Indian government has been in the forefront of investing in mega
construction projects to spur infrastructure and economic growth and development
(DMG Events India, 2015). The private sector is also contributing significantly to India’s
growing construction sector.
3. Sustainable Construction in India
Sustainable construction is not quite new in India although many people are only
aware of green building. But based on statistics, India is among the leading countries in
relation to adoption of green building practices. Based on the number of green or
sustainable technology projects, India is ranked number two after the U.S. The green
building market of India is expected to double by 2022 (Go Smart Bricks, 2018a). The
increased popularity of green building has resulted to development of several rating

Sustainable Construction in India 7
systems in the country. Some of these include: Green Rating for Integrated Habitat
Assessment (GRIHA), India Green Building Council (IGBC), Bureau of Energy
Efficiency (BEE) (Shailesh, 2012) and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
LEED)-India, among others. These systems have been developed so as to promote and
encourage growth of environmentally sustainable construction in India (Smith, 2015).
The developments in sustainable construction have led to establishment of many
countries in India that are involved in different activities related to sustainable
construction. Some of these companies include: Aadhan, Avani, Aspartika Biotech,
Daily Dump, GreenObazaar, NavAlt Solar & Electric Boats Pvt. Ltd, Oizom, Oorja
Energy Engineering, Replenish Earth and S4S Technologies, among others (Saathi,
2017).
4. Factors Hindering Adopting of Sustainable Construction Practices in India
Adoption of sustainable construction practices in many parts of the world has been
hindered by a wide range of factors. One of these factors is the fear of implementing
processes with unforeseen costs and new risks (Hakkkinen & Belloni, 2011).
Sustainable construction practices are new to some stakeholders in the industry who
are slow to adopt them because of unfamiliarity with their risks and associated cost
implications. This fear is also contributed by lack of adequate awareness about suitable
sustainable construction methods and lack of proper government policies to promote
sustainability (Serpell, et al., 2013). Some of the factors hindering adoption of
sustainable construction practices in India include the following:
4.1. Inadequate awareness
A large percentage of stakeholders in the Indian construction industry have limited
awareness of sustainable construction and its associated benefits. Also, those with little
knowledge about sustainable construction perceive it to be very expensive and
therefore they cannot afford it due to financial incapability. Some countries such as the
U.S. and UK have developed numerous programs of educating stakeholders in the
construction industry and the general public about sustainable construction. This
increased awareness helps people to acquire knowledge about sustainable
construction, how to implement it and benefit from it. There is need for Indians to

Sustainable Construction in India 8
become more aware of the negative impacts of using conventional construction
methods and materials, and at the same time be educated on the benefits of
sustainable construction.
4.2. Limited government policies and strategies
For adoption of sustainable construction practices to succeed in any country, it must
receive adequate support from the government. India has set out very ambitious targets
for sustainable construction but these targets are not accompanied with appropriate
government regulations and rules to promote growth. There are no proper government
regulations, rules and framework to spur adoption of sustainable construction practices.
Some of those who try to implement sustainable construction in the country encounter
numerous bottlenecks that discourage them completely. Countries such as the U.S. and
UK have already developed proper policies, regulations and rules that make it easier for
people to implement sustainable construction and that is why adoption of green building
is high in these countries.
4.3. Tedious approvals and clearances
Developers and builders in India who are seeking approvals and clearances for
sustainable construction compliances usually go through a very tedious and time-
consuming process. This is one of the possible reasons that is deterring rapid
implementation of sustainable construction in the country. There are still few officers
who are certified to approve sustainable building compliances and those seeking for
these approvals have to travel long distances and wait for some time before they can
get the services they need. Instead of going through this tedious process, some
developers and builders decide not to adopt sustainable construction.
4.4. Lack of subject matter experts and skilled manpower
This is one of the major challenges still hindering adoption of sustainable
construction in India. There are few people with requisite knowledge and skills about
sustainable construction. These people range from policymakers, engineers, architects,
designers to contractors, developers and workers. Even though some developers may
wish to build sustainable structures, they cannot do so if they do not get workers or
contractors with the required knowledge and skills. The lack of subject matter experts is

Sustainable Construction in India 9
also holding back formulation of policies and regulations that would promote adoption of
sustainable construction in the country.
4.5. Inadequate incentives
Many countries that have succeeded in adopting sustainable construction have done
so through encouraging adopters by giving them market-based incentives (Chan, et al.,
2017). Unfortunately, there are very limited incentive plans in India to encourage
sustainable construction adoption. The plans that exist also vary from one state or city
to another. Most of these plans are also not implemented strategically and therefore
they do not encourage people to adopt sustainable construction. Plans such as property
tax rebate have failed in some countries but are the ones still being used in India.
Hence there is need for the government to develop and adopt better incentive schemes
as a way of promoting sustainable construction.
4.6. Expensive products, equipment and methods
Most of the products, equipment and methods used in sustainable construction are
still expensive compared to the traditional ones. This puts upfront costs for sustainable
construction projects quite high. These high costs discourages developers and builders
from adopting sustainable construction practices. The government should develop
appropriate financial support systems to help those interested in adopting sustainable
construction.
4.7. Limited building codes and standards
India still lacks proper building codes and standards for sustainable construction.
Even though the government has make considerable efforts in formulating sustainable
construction policies, the practice is not yet supported by sufficient building and
construction codes and standards. This leaves adopters to use the limited codes and
standards available in the country or those from other countries such as the U.S. and
UK. The challenge of using codes and standards from other countries is that these
codes were developed to address the unique construction needs of those countries and
therefore may not be fully applicable in India without modifications to suit local needs.
Therefore the easiest way to promote and increase implementation of sustainable
construction in India is to solve the above mentioned issues.

Sustainable Construction in India 10
5. Pros and Cons of Construction Practices in India and International
Practices
India is very rich in history and traditions, which still have significant impacts on
construction and buildings until today (United Nations Environment Programme, 2012).
Most of the structures are still being constructed using conventional materials and
methods, with masonry building remaining the commonest construction practice. Most
structures in India are constructed using brick masonry, steel, cement, sand and mud.
On the other hand, the most common construction practices in the U.S. are wooden
construction integrated with concrete and steel construction while common construction
practices in Europe masonry and concrete construction (Khan, 2016). Therefore the
largest percentage of buildings in India are non-engineered. These buildings have
minimal interventions by qualified designers, engineers and architects hence they are
less likely to have sustainable concepts.
5.1. Wastage
Wastage is one of the biggest challenges in Indian construction industry as millions
of tonnes of construction and demolition wastes are generated every year (Gayakwad &
Sasane, 2015). The wastage is as high as 30%, which is very high (Kataria, et al.,
2013). The high wastage is caused by use of conventional traditional practices. This is a
major con to the Indian construction industry because it means that about 30% of
resources meant for construction projects in the country go to waste. On the other hand,
it is advantageous to some stakeholders because these are the practices they are used
for hence find it easy to use them. There are different ways in which other countries are
minimizing construction wastage. One of them is development and adoption of lean
construction practices. Pros of lean practices include: minimize waste, lower
construction costs, protect the environment and improve project delivery (Erol, et al.,
2017); (Marhani, et al., 2012). However, adoption of lean construction practices is still
very low in India compared to developed countries such as the U.S. Cons of lean
construction include: requires subject experts to implement, may require specialized
equipment, and can be complex for some stakeholders. As a result, there is need for
stakeholders in Indian construction industry to learn new knowledge and skills about
lean construction (Mahashabde, 2016).

Sustainable Construction in India 11
Besides waste minimization, this problem can also be solved through application of
proper waste management techniques. Some of these techniques include reuse and
recycling of wastes (Arif, et al., 2012). Most of the construction wastes generated in
India are disposed in landfills or other unauthorized places posing health and safety
risks to the public (Ram & Kalidindi, 2017). Through proper management, some of these
wastes can be reused or recycled thus helping in protecting the environment and also
reducing construction costs (Thomas & Wilson, 2013). Proper waste management
requires use of modern technologies including information technology (IT) tools.
5.2. Alternative materials
India still relies mostly on conventional construction materials. Some pros of using
conventional construction materials are: locally available, cheap, easy to use, and they
are more familiar. Disadvantages of conventional materials include: resource inefficient,
environmental degradation, restricts designs and hinders sustainability. Other
developed countries are using alternative materials i.e. using modern technology to
produce engineered materials thus reducing extraction of natural resources. Pros of
using alternative materials include: design flexibility, constructability, adaptability,
lightweight, cost effective and durability. On the other hand, cons of using alternative
materials include: requires specialized skills, high initial costs, requires specialized
equipment and resistance from local markets. The Indian construction industry should
explore use of alternative materials such as bamboo corrugates sheets, concrete
produced from rice husk ash, plastic bricks, particle boards made from bagasse,
manufactured sand, lightweight aggregates and fly ash to replace cement, among
others. The country should utilize nanotechnology to produce alternative materials such
as concrete, structural composites, coatings and nanosensors, etc. The basic concept
of nanotechnology is to modify properties of materials so as to produce materials with
improved properties to serve a specific purpose (Lee, et al., 2010); (Pacheco-Torgal &
Jalali, 2011).
5.3. Traditional construction methods
As stated before, most structures in India are still being built using conventional
construction methods. The cons of these methods include: slower construction process,

Sustainable Construction in India 12
expensive, riskier, resource-intensive and environmentally unfriendly. Some pros of
these methods include: does not require specialized skills or equipment, the locals are
more familiar with them and they are easy to adopt. For the country to achieve its
sustainability goals, there is need for the construction industry to adopt modern
construction methods that have been designed to promote sustainability. Some of these
methods include prefabricated construction, modular construction, etc. Pros of such
modern construction methods include: faster project completion, reduced wastage,
improved quality, low environmental impacts, safer and increased productivity. These
methods also have some disadvantages including: specialized skills and equipment,
high upfront or capital costs, and resistance from local residents.
5.4. Unskilled workforce
Trends in construction sector have been changing over the past years and so have
client needs. Today, technology is at the core of construction activities. Issues such as
sustainability are also new especially in developing countries such as India. There is a
significant knowledge and skills gap that must be filled for the country to successfully
adopt sustainable construction practices. Majority of Indian workforce in the construction
industry do not have the required skills to implement sustainable construction practices.
In fact most of the workers are those moving from rural areas to urban areas in search
of employment. It is estimated that 85% of construction workers in India come from rural
background. The workers do not have industrially relevant technical perspective and
common sense (Chen, et al., 2013). This restricts most contractors to use conventional
construction practices thus reducing the chances of achieving sustainability goals.
Disadvantages of using unskilled workers include: poor quality, low productivity, slow
delivery and high safety risks. Use of unskilled labour may be advantageous if the
workers are paid very low wages but produce good quality work. Advantages of using
skilled workforce include: faster project delivery, high quality workmanship, reduced
safety risks, high productivity and ability to adopt sustainable practices. Nevertheless,
skilled workforce will require high wages.

Sustainable Construction in India 13
5.5. Policy initiatives
There are numerous policy initiatives that have already been launched in India since
2001 to promote sustainable construction. Some of these include: Energy Conservation
Act 2001, formation of Indian Green Building Council, establishment of Bureau of
Energy Efficiency, publishing of the National Building Code, making mandatory the
Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), formulation of Energy Conservation Building
Code, adoption of Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment, launch of National
Action Plan on Climate Change, launch of Smart Cities program, and signing of UN
Climate Change Paris Agreement (Vestian Global, 2016). Despite all these initiatives,
India’s sustainable construction market is still in a nascent stage compared to
developed nations such as the U.S. and UK that have launched similar initiatives. The
pros of such initiatives whether in India or other nations include: they show the
government’s seriousness in promoting sustainability, provide a framework or guidelines
on how sustainability should be adopted, they provide incentives and set sustainability
goals for the country. On the other hand, these initiatives may also have some
disadvantages including: requires substantial resources to develop and adopt, can
cause confusion among construction stakeholders and may be unrealistic.
6. Importance of International Exposure
International exposure is another very essential aspect towards sustainable
construction in India. Most of the construction activities in the country are still performed
using traditional methods. This is largely because Indian contractors are not aware of
the available modern construction practices that would promote sustainability.
International exposure will help Indian contractors and other stakeholders in the
construction industry to learn, possess and adopt new skills suitable for sustainable
construction. It is through acquiring new knowledge and adopting new skills that the
country will realize its sustainability goals. This is because sustainable construction
requires application of specific practices that have been developed for that purpose.
Initiatives such as Skill India, which was launched on July 15, 2015 by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi to train and develop entrepreneurial and industrial skills among young
Indians (Sure Job, 2017), helps in equipping the labor force with relevant skills. The
government should launch similar initiatives to train Indians about sustainable

Sustainable Construction in India 14
construction practices. Such an initiative can be dubbed “Sustainable Construction Skill
Program” and be designed to teach Indians about sustainable construction practices
that have been successfully adopted in other countries. The government can also
partner with institutions in other countries such as the U.S. ad UK to roll out exchange
programmes where a group of Indians can go to these countries for study programs and
subject experts from these countries invited to teach locals about sustainable
construction practices.
Another strategy of enhancing international exposure is by inviting and awarding
construction contracts to foreign companies. This will mean that the foreign companies
will bring their knowledge and expertise into the country hence enabling local
contractors to learn and acquire skills about sustainable construction. India is one of the
most attractive markets to the UK and U.S. firms because of cheap labour (Edwards, et
al., 2014), thus it will be very easy to attract UK and U.S. contractors to the local market.
The government should also establish policies of ensuring that the foreign companies
involve local parties in the construction activities so that they can acquire the needed
sustainable construction skills. For example, it should be mandatory for these foreign
companies to ensure that at least 30% of managerial positions are set aside for Indians.
Therefore the government should start advertising construction projects to international
contractors and provide incentives that will attract these contractors to bid for the
projects. This is one way of bringing foreign expertise about sustainable construction
closer to the Indians. By the time a project is completed, many Indians will have learned
and acquired skills about sustainable construction.
International exposure can also be enabled by encouraging Indian contractors to bid
for international contracts. When local contractors win international contracts especially
in countries that have made significant steps in promoting sustainable construction, they
will transfer the knowledge and skills acquired overseas to the local industry. There is
need to educate local contractors about international project bidding and provide
necessary support for successful bidding.
Increased international exposure is also a demonstration of the country’s
commitment towards learning current sustainable construction practices. As a result,

Sustainable Construction in India 15
foreign companies that are already adopting these practices will see investment
opportunities in the country’s construction industry. For example, companies that are
already manufacturing building materials such as concrete, roofing sheets and particles
boards from alternative materials will be attracted to set up manufacturing facilities in
India and benefit from the high demand for these products as the country adopts
sustainable construction. This will also present an opportunity for local contractors to
create partnerships and joint business ventures with foreign contractors and learn from
them about sustainable construction.
The success of international exposure largely depends on the government’s
commitment to promote the same. There is need for structural reforms in India to
facilitate international exposure of local contractors (Das, et al., 2017). The government
has to review its foreign policy so as to make it easier for local contractor to find
business opportunities overseas and also to ease the process of foreign contractors
bidding and implementing construction projects in the country. The government should
develop necessary frameworks and establish effective promotional strategies to
increase international exposure. One of the steps the government can take is to develop
language programs to help Indians learn foreign languages such as English, Chinese,
French, Spanish, Japanese, Italian and German. Language is one of the biggest
barriers to international exposure hence enabling Indians to learn foreign languages
easily and for free will enable them work in different parts of the world with minimal
communication problems.
7. Disadvantages of Awarding Contracts to Foreign Contractors
Even though India may need to award some of the contracts to foreign contractors
as a way of promoting sustainable construction in the country, there are some
disadvantages of this to the local contractors and the country as a whole.
7.1. Employment opportunities
Awarding a contract to foreign contractors will deny some Indians employment
opportunities because the foreign contractors will move in with most of their employees.
The contractors may decide to apply highly advanced technology that is completely new
to the local people thus locking them out of employment. These contractor may also

Sustainable Construction in India 16
exploit locals by paying them less. For instance, there are several cases of local
residents complaining about expats being favored to job opportunities or influx of foreign
workers (Olander & van Staden, 2016). This has been the case in Africa where
residents in some African countries have been complaining of influx of Chinese
construction workers. If the government does not regulate this, Indians may miss
thousands or even millions of job opportunities in the long run to foreigners if
construction contracts are awarded to foreign contractors. It is upon the government to
formulate policies that will prevent influx of foreign workers to take away jobs that could
have been taken by Indians and also develop better training programs to equip the
locals with necessary skills.
7.2. Business opportunities
If contracts are given to foreign contractors, some of the local suppliers are also
going to miss out on numerous business opportunities. This is because the foreign
contractors will most likely import some equipment and materials from their countries
instead of purchasing them from local suppliers. This is a big threat to local businesses.
It is also upon the government to formulate policies that will protect local businesses if
some contracts are given to foreign contractors.
7.3. Monopoly
When most foreign contractors win international contracts, one of their main aims is
to make profits. These contractors are usually given contracts because the local
companies do not have the required resources to undertake the projects. In this case,
some contracts may be given to foreign contractor because Indian contractors do not
have the capacity to meet or demonstrate the required sustainability standards.
However, there is a possibility of the foreign contractors creating monopoly in the
country thus killing the dream of empowering more Indian contractors to learn and adopt
sustainable construction practices. These foreign contractors can use their massive
resources to advertise themselves all over the country hence making it difficult for
startups to penetrate the market. Again, the government should develop strategies of
preventing this to happen ad ensure that awarding contracts to foreign contractors helps
local contractors to learn from them on how to adopt sustainable construction practices.

Sustainable Construction in India 17
7.4. Cultural risk
India’s construction industry is largely grounded on the country’s cultural norms,
customs and client preferences. Giving a contract to a foreign contractor will mean that
some of these cultural norms will be interfered with thus affecting the entire construction
ecosystem because the foreign contractor will tend to adopt his home-grown style of
doing business.
7.5. Government revenue
This is relatively the ultimate disadvantage of giving contracts to foreign contractors.
Since the government may decide to give contracts to foreign contractors as a way of
promoting adoption of sustainable construction in the country, these foreign contractors
may receive incentives such as tax reliefs. Unfortunately, the foreign contractors are
likely to send most of the money they make to their respective countries. This means
that the money made from these contracts will not be invested locally hence the
government will generate zero revenue from it once the money leaves the country.
8. Methods used to promote sustainable construction in India
There are different methods that governments use to promote adoption of
sustainable construction in their countries. Some of these methods are as follows:
8.1. Awareness programs
Governments increase publicity of sustainable construction through a wide range of
media channels such as television, radio, print media and the internet. This helps in
educating key stakeholders and the general public about the country’s sustainable
construction agenda, the anticipated costs and benefits and the strategies put in place
to facilitate adoption of sustainable construction (Asia Green Buildings, 2016). The
consumers should be fully aware first before sustainable construction solutions can
penetrate into the market.
8.2. Training programs
Skill gap is one of the major factors hindering adoption of sustainable construction in
many countries. Governments reduce this gap by developing training programs to equip
key stakeholders in the construction industry, including policymakers, engineers,

Sustainable Construction in India 18
designers, architects and contractors, with relevant knowledge and the right skills for
sustainable construction (Darko & Chan, 2018). Skills India is one of such programs.
8.3. Regulatory framework
To promote adoption of sustainable construction, the government must put in place
the necessary regulatory framework that include policies and regulations. This includes
environmental regulations (such as minimum carbon emissions), agencies meant to
provide relevant information and facilitate approvals and inspection of sustainable
construction projects. In some developed countries, there are a section of mandatory
sustainable construction requirements. For instance, it is mandatory for companies
tendering for public projects in some developed countries to adopt sustainable
construction practices. India already has Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) that is
responsible for promoting and overseeing adoption of sustainable construction in the
country.
8.4. Engaging the local business community
Players in the local business community are the ones responsible for supplying the
materials used in construction industry and therefore should be involved in the
sustainable construction debate. The government should engage the local business
community so that they can understand on the benefits and their role in promoting
sustainable construction (Thorning-Schmidt, 2014). This usually spurs innovation in
relation to sustainable construction solutions.
8.5. Engaging the citizens
For sustainable construction to be successful in any country, there must be
sustainable consumption. This requires citizens to be educated about sustainable
construction so that their preferences can also shift to sustainable products and
services. In other words, engaging the citizens helps in generating and increasing
sustained demand
8.6. Strengthened sustainable construction research and development (R&D)
There are is a lot that have to be researched and tested in terms of sustainable
construction solutions. This is because sustainable construction is still at embryonic
stage especially in developing countries like India. Governments launch numerous R&D

Sustainable Construction in India 19
projects to demonstrate and improve how sustainable construction should work. These
R&D activities also result to development of new products that improve the efficiency of
sustainable construction.
8.7. Design guides
Sustainable construction requires new design codes and it is for this reason that
governments engage relevant agencies to develop codes and standards for sustainable
structures. These codes provide design guidelines for structures such as buildings,
roads, highways, railway, bridges, airports, ports, dams, etc. The design guides make it
easier to designers, engineers and architects to develop and build sustainable
structures.
8.8. Incentives
Providing incentives is one of the most effective ways that governments use to
encourage adoption of sustainable construction. At the start, implementation of
sustainable construction is usually faced with numerous challenges including logistical
and financial constraints. Financial incentives provide construction stakeholders with the
most valuable economic support that need due to the high initial investment cost of
implementing sustainable construction projects. The incentives encourage and enable
construction stakeholders to implement these projects successfully. The incentives can
also be inform of tax reliefs, property tax rebates, subsidies, grants and low-cost loans.
8.9. Recognition and awards
This is another great strategy that is used by governments to promote adoption of
sustainable construction practices. Recognizing and awarding sustainable structures
such as India is a way of approving and appreciating the sustainable materials and
practices that were used in these projects. This is a great way of promoting these
practices and also demonstrating that indeed they can be implemented and are
effective and efficient as expected. These structures usually become famous all over
the world after being recognized and awarded. Some of the renowned sustainable
buildings in India include: CRISIL House, Infosys Limited, Infinity Benchmark, ITC
Green Center, CISCO, Patni Knowledge Center, Sohrabji Godrej Green Business

Sustainable Construction in India 20
Center, Olympia Technology Park, Suzlon One Earth, Bank of India and Biodiversity
Conservation India Ltd (Go Smart Bricks, 2018b); (Lokaa, 2016).
9. Conclusion
The need for developed and developing countries to take the lead in reducing
greenhouse gas emissions thus playing part in solving the global problem of climate
change cannot be overemphasized. Sustainable construction is one of the greatest
potentials of achieving this because construction practices have huge environmental
impacts throughout the lifecycle of built structures. India is a developing country that
should focus on adopting sustainable construction practices. Some of the strategies that
can be used to promote sustainable construction in India include the following: providing
market-based and financial incentives for sustainable construction adopters; increased
awareness and easy access to information about the costs and benefits of sustainable
construction; formulating mandatory government regulations and policies; developing
and implementing sustainable construction rating and labelling systems; developing and
implementing educational programs for policymakers, developers, contractors and other
professionals related to sustainable construction; providing subsidies and low-coast
loans from the government; improving enforcement of existing sustainable construction
standards and policies; developing a comprehensive and improved sustainable
construction research and communication plan; launching proactive and competent
sustainable construction local authorities and promotion teams; creating proper
institutional frameworks to oversee efficient and effective implementation of sustainable
construction; and increasing public awareness about sustainable construction through
conferences, seminars, workshops and media (television programs, radio, internet and
print media); among others. Nevertheless, there is a significant difference in strategies
used to promote sustainable construction in India and other developed countries such
as the U.S. and UK.
There is also need for relevant government organizations in India to develop and
implement sustainability rating systems so as to help individuals and companies
establish the effectiveness and efficiency of sustainable tools and strategies they are
using (Poveda & Young, 2015). These systems will also recognize and award the most

Sustainable Construction in India 21
sustainable projects thus driving competition among construction stakeholders. Even
though sustainable construction is still at embryonic stage in India compared to
developed countries such as the U.S. and UK, the country has made significant steps
towards promoting and encouraging adoption of sustainable construction practices.
Today, sustainable construction is one of the major investment opportunities in India
for both local and foreign investors. The Indian construction industry is projected to grow
at a rate of about 8% over the next decade so as to meet the increasing demand for
affordable housing, urban and rural infrastructure, and other urban services. The
country is also transiting from conventional construction practices to modern
construction practices, and sustainable solutions is one of the key focus. Therefore
sustainable construction solutions are on very high demand in India and with proper
government policies, regulations and framework, adoption of sustainable construction is
expected to increase.

Sustainable Construction in India 22
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