Construction tech key for India to achieve zero emissions by 2070: H S Puri

The minister notes that the built environment generates significant carbon emissions accounting for almost 39% of gross carbon emissions worldwide

It is estimated that 700-900 million sq meters of built environment will need to be added to Indian cities each year to fully harness their economic potential, Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs said while delivering a virtual address during Propagate 2022, PropTech summit by Brigade REAP.

The summit was inaugurated by Puri in the presence of Ashwathnarayan C N, Minister of Electronics, IT, Biotechnology, Science & Technology, Higher Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood, Government of Karnataka, and Nirupa Shankar, Joint Managing Director, Brigade Enterprises Limited.

Puri said India’s urban rejuvenation is an important facet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to transform India into a developed nation by 2047, a key component of which is India’s advocacy for green and climate-resilient infrastructure. It is imperative that these sustainability considerations are also imbibed by the construction industry.

The built environment generates significant carbon emissions accounting for almost 39 per cent of gross carbon emissions worldwide. It is necessary that urban India adopts resilient construction technologies to achieve the goal of zero emissions by 2070 announced by the Prime Minister at Glasgow last year, he added.

On the occasion, Ashwathnarayan released two independent vital studies on ‘Climate conscious construction and Demolition waste management and ‘Shelter solution for migrant construction workers’ carried out by Anant National University in association with Brigade REAP.

“The real estate sector has contributed significantly to the growth of Bengaluru. With sustainability being a key focus area today it is important for the construction sector to focus on technologies that will help reduce the environmental impact caused by increased construction needed for the economic growth of the State. It is also vital that developers align with academia to create awareness and build a sustainable ecosystem,” said Ashwathnarayan.

Without technology, it is impossible to meet the staggering demand for housing in the city, which is growing faster than ever before. Bengaluru is fertile ground for technology and innovation, and is an undisputed leader in India for the vital role it plays in powering the IT revolution. The city has all the ingredients necessary to make it a leader in PropTech, not only for India but for the world, he added.

Delivering the welcome address, M R Jaishankar, Chairman of Brigade Enterprises Ltd, said, “The real estate and construction industry have been late adopters of technology. However that picture is changing with unprecedented interest from developers, investors, and especially start-ups.

He added that in 2016, the real estate industry invested less than 0.5 per cent of revenue in technology. "Today that number has more than doubled, but a lot more needs to be done. It is imperative that the real estate sector accelerates the adoption of technology, and this is possible only if we pool in our intellect, intent and resources behind innovative technology that improves productivity, and efficiency and protects the environment," Jaishankar said.

Propagate 2022 was host to insightful sessions including Smart Design & Planning, Smart Construction, Smart Finance & Investments, The Making of PropTech Unicorns, and Challenges for PropTech Adoption.

Over 300 guests from various business verticals attended Propagate 2022 which was structured to address the challenges that the real estate and construction industry face globally.  Eminent panelists shed light and deliberated on plausible solutions that could tackle these issues. Budding start-ups with disruptive solutions used this platform to network and learn from the experts.