Sustainable buildings – Promising future

M. Selvarasu Maru is optimistic that with the right implementable strategies and stakeholders’ involvement in the built environment, the sustainable building industry is poised for growth and transformation.

Selvarasu Maru’s entry into the sustainable building sector began with an American President.

“You could say that it all began with then President Bill Clinton when he visited India in 2001,” Mr. Selvarasu said.
“The then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (AP), Shri Chandrababu Naidu, wanted to invite President Clinton to the state. After a lot of discussions, Mr. Clinton agreed to visit AP to launch a green business center with the support of USAID. Mr Clinton was keen to take up a large sustainability agenda globally through his foundation, post his presidency role in the USA.”

“I was part of the team tasked with setting up this center in Hyderabad. We were working on really tight timelines, literally churning out proposals in a matter of hours. The Centre was a joint initiative of the Government of Andhra Pradesh, USAID and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).”

The centre was a pilot project for the implementation of the LEED green building rating system¹ , and was later expanded across India. Following his pivotal role in bringing LEED to India and indigenizing LEED rating, he has facilitated more than 1000 buildings achieving green building ratings and conducted over 300 Green workshops in India and abroad to spread and educate knowledge on sustainability for a larger adoption.

Selvarasu Maru is currently the Managing Director of LEAD Consultancy and Engineering Services, one of the Indian market leaders that offers turnkey solutions to various green building ratings & MEPF design services. He has over 33 years of rich experience in the areas of Energy Management and Green Buildings.

The Market is Ready

Mr. Selvarasu is optimistic about the future of sustainable buildings in India.

“Currently, only 10% of residential buildings in India opt for green certification. But that does not mean that the rest of the 90% is completely non-green. These buildings are also using sustainable systems and products, but not in a structured manner.”

“The industry leaders have gained practical experience in building green and sustainable buildings over the past 15 years. I believe the market is now ready for more mandated sustainability codes and standards.”

“There is a shift happening. The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) is currently mandated in more than 22 states. The ECBC and Eco Niwas Samhitha (ENS) were originally energy codes and are now being converted into a sustainability code. I’m part of the committee that will upgrade these energy codes into Energy Conservation Sustainable Building Codes (ECSBC) for commercial buildings and ENS 2024 for residential buildings. The updated codes will include various elements like site ecology, water efficiency, energy efficiency, waste management, Green Materials, IOT, Indoor Environment, Vertical Transportation, Renewable Energy use etc.”

“Once these codes become mandated, around 70-80% of the building market will adopt sustainable practices. Any building having a connected load of 110kw and above will adopt this code. This is a remarkable shift, considering the industry’s readiness and the government’s support. The ground is set for better adoption of sustainable practices.”

Challenges remain, but can be addressed

Despite the optimism, Mr. Selvarasu identifies several challenges that the industry still needs to overcome.

“It was predominantly a market-driven approach. But now people are owning it and demanding green buildings. Foreign Direct Investment is also looking at sustainability as a key parameter for investment. ESG requirements for major corporates also ask for net zero carbon targets in defined timelines as per the direction of (Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Even then, there needs to be more consumer awareness and demand to accelerate growth.”

“The cost factor is a significant challenge. Developers are hesitant to invest the extra 2-3% required for green features because clients don’t want to pay extra. But now, with increasing demand, developers investing in sustainability features are having a better turnover for their building stock.”

Mr Selvarasu finds knowledge and capacity gaps a challenge that needs to be addressed fast.

“The design teams often lack the knowledge to implement sustainable design principles effectively. Sustainability is often treated as a separate service rather than being integrated into the core design process. This should be given a top priority for better integration for effective implementation and avoid reworks.”

“One more critical area to be given a true focus is on educating young minds in colleges. There will be a huge demand for sustainability professionals. There aren’t enough trained professionals and companies to handle this capacity gap. Addressing these knowledge and capacity gaps through aggressive education and training initiatives is crucial for market transformation. There needs to be more investment in education, R&D, testing labs and product development and testing.”

Working with local experts is key for effective implementation

Mr. Selvarasu highlighted the importance of expert panels at state levels in implementing sustainability codes and standards effectively. He noted that for any new product or standard launch, it’s essential to have an expert panel debate and provide guidelines to communities and governments for quicker and effective adoption. Knowledge sharing, local capacity building, and expert panels are critical for bridging this gap and enabling successful adoption of codes.

Mr. Selvarasu’s insights offer a hopeful yet realistic view of the future of sustainable buildings in India. With the right strategies and support, the industry is poised for significant growth and transformation.