 "India's real estate sector, significantly buoyed by a robust economy, has emerged as a pivotal player in the country's development. With an 18 per cent share in national employment, real estate is the largest employment generator after agriculture. C")
As urban planners in many parts of the world push for concepts like the 15-minute city, Indian metropolises are evolving into “two-hour cities,” where getting from one point to another is nothing short of an endurance sport. Even as we celebrate green-certified buildings, the daily experience of an average city dweller remains frustratingly inefficient.
Above all, this presents a strange paradox. On the one hand, Indian cities are taking remarkable steps to mainstream green buildings. Uttar Pradesh was recently in the news for approving over 1,400 green building projects covering more than 1.6 billion square feet. In Delhi, too, its cyber hubs and parks proudly boast green certification.
The key question to ask is — what is the point of having an energy-efficient, Leed-certified office tower if employees spend two hours every day commuting through congested roads, breathing polluted air, and burning fossil fuels? Sustainability cannot be confined to the walls of a building; it must extend to the way a city functions.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that building operations account for 30 per cent of global final energy consumption and 26 per cent of global energy-related emissions. The buildings sector overall, which includes energy used for constructing, heating, cooling, and lighting homes and businesses, as well as the appliances and equipment installed in them, accounts for over one-third of global energy consumption and emissions.
Green buildings are, therefore, vital for any country, including India, in its journey towards Net Zero emissions. They are designed to minimise environmental impact by improving energy efficiency, water conservation, and resource management. By integrating passive cooling techniques, renewable energy sources, and sustainable materials, they reduce carbon footprints while enhancing occupant comfort.
India embraced this shift and is currently in the third spot on the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) annual list of Top 10 Countries and Regions for Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
In 2024, 370 projects, encompassing both buildings and spaces, were certified through Leed in the country, covering 8.5 million gross square meters. The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) and other certification bodies have driven this movement, promoting Leed-, Griha- (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment), and EDGE-rated buildings across commercial and residential sectors.
The Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (Credai) partnered with IGBC to promote 4,000 certified green housing projects by 2030. While green buildings are important, they are not a silver bullet, and this is where our approach to sustainable urbanisation needs to evolve. A green-certified building in an unsustainable city remains just an isolated achievement in a fundamentally flawed urban fabric.
True sustainability is not just about how efficiently a building consumes energy; it is about how people move, work, and live in the city. If we are serious about creating truly green cities, we need to look beyond certifications and rethink urban planning itself by prioritising walkability, accessibility, and integrated public transport alongside energy-efficient buildings.
Metropolises in India, be it Delhi, Bengaluru, or Mumbai, suffer from fragmented urban zoning, with office hubs, shopping districts, and residential areas located miles apart. Contrast this with cities like Copenhagen, where nearly 50 per cent of daily commutes happen on bicycles, or Singapore, where seamless public transport ensures that green infrastructure is complemented by low-carbon urban mobility.
Sustainability, therefore, is not just about what happens inside a building but about how it fits into the larger urban ecosystem. It is not an easy transition to make, especially in a rapidly emerging economy like India. There are, however, some entry points to this transition. Public transport and mobility integration are key because, while green buildings reduce individual carbon footprints, true urban sustainability requires cities to cut emissions at scale.
While metro networks in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru have expanded, last-mile connectivity remains weak. Poorly designed sidewalks, unregulated fares, and a lack of cycle lanes make public transport inconvenient and unattractive, keeping private vehicles dominant.
Looking back at history, cities were designed for their people. The old quarters of Jaipur, Varanasi, and Hyderabad were built around bazaars, temples, and central courtyards, allowing residents to access work, markets, and recreation on foot. Fast forward to today, and Indian cities have flipped this logic upside down.
Roads dominate, footpaths are an afterthought, and urban greenery is sacrificed for real estate expansion. A well-planned, walkable city allows people to access jobs, schools, parks, and daily needs within a short walking or cycling distance. This is not just an urban luxury, but it is a necessity for sustainability, public health, and economic efficiency. Think about the productivity loss, lack of recreation, and the impact on physical and mental health when people spend hours commuting.
It’s time we started a larger conversation not just about green buildings, but also about the urban spaces between them. We must rethink how people move, how they access public spaces, and how cities can be designed to work for everyone — not just for cars and real estate developers.
Walkability, accessible public transport, and the integration of green spaces into the urban fabric are just as crucial as energy efficiency in shaping a sustainable future. The challenge before us is not just to build better buildings but to reset our cities to make them more inclusive, healthier, and resilient.
The author is chair, Institute for Competitiveness. With inputs from Meenakshi Ajith
Disclaimer: These are personal views of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect the opinion of www.business-standard.com or the Business Standard newspaper
