India’s urban boom demands an urgent shift to net-zero buildings

As India’s urban population approaches 843 million by 2050, NIUA and RMI emphasise the importance of developing net-zero carbon infrastructure from the start, thereby aligning growth with climate goals.

India’s fast expanding urban population is expected to reach 612 million by 2030 and 843 million by 2050 as a result of a large influx of urban migration and a reclassification of rural areas. Policymakers and business leaders are trying to achieve a net-zero target by 2070. The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) emphasised the critical need for new housing and infrastructure across the country based on low-carbon initiatives to support this ambitious target.

The “Build Right for the First Time: Scaling Adoption of Net-Zero Carbon Buildings in India” report was released at the “Heat Resilient and Low Carbon Housing in India” conference in New Delhi. Eminent dignitaries attended the event, including Dr Debolina Kundu, Director of the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA); Sachin Kumar, Director of the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation; Satish Chandra Vishnubhatla, Deputy Vice President of Johnson Controls – Hitachi Air Conditioning; Tarun Garg, Principal of the RMI India Foundation; and Dr S K Chaturvedi, Joint Director of the National Council for Cement and Building Materials.

As India’s urban landscape expands, so does the carbon impact of its buildings. The research introduces a common concept of net-zero carbon structures and describes five high-impact decarbonisation options that might reduce emissions by up to 8 gigatons (Gt) by 2050. These achievements can be accomplished at a cost premium of around ₹4,566/m² compared to the business-as-usual situation.

Satish Chandra Vishnubhatla, Deputy Vice President, Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Ltd, highlighted the industry-wide challenge of translating policy into actionable solutions. “There is universal agreement on the need to work towards heat-resilient housing and low-carbon housing, yet implementation remains a key challenge at the ground level,” he noted.

Understanding the importance of innovation in overcoming adoption hurdles, Satish emphasised the potential for universal acceptance of sustainable cooling systems. “Innovation should ease adoption, removing obstacles so that policy can seamlessly transition into action.

As a technology leader, Hitachi takes a three-pronged approach to this challenge – firstly, we focus on bringing the most energy-efficient technologies to Indian consumers, thereby reducing the load on the grid. Secondly, Hitachi has developed technologies, such as a self-cleaning function, to ensure the products maintain this efficiency throughout the life of the product. Last but not least, for adoption to happen at the ground level, we communicate the benefits of the technology to the customers in a simple manner without industry jargon,” he added. 

Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning, in conjunction with RMI, is taking on an ambitious challenge: producing air conditioning systems that are five times more efficient than standard systems on the market, pushing energy efficiency boundaries. Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning is leading the charge towards a carbon-neutral future by pioneering new technologies in sustainable cooling.

Akshima Ghate, Managing Director of RMI India, said, “India stands at a pivotal juncture in its development journey, with rapid urbanisation and economic growth set to more than double its building stock by 2050. This moment presents a critical opportunity to align infrastructure expansion with climate goals.”

The report also makes recommendations for national and subnational policy interventions to help with the implementation of the recommended sectoral reforms. Furthermore, it introduces a behaviour change paradigm aimed at encouraging the adoption of net-zero carbon buildings in India, including policymakers, real estate developers, and industry professionals as key stakeholders.

Dr Debolina Kundu, Director of the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), encouraged stakeholders to join together to establish a coalition for future-ready, heat-resistant houses in India, and India’s current urban trajectory and economic growth present a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape a low-carbon and heat-resilient future. We hope this effort empowers stakeholders across the value chain to lead India’s building sector toward a climate-resilient, energy-efficient, and equitable future.”

During the meeting, Mrinalini Shrivastava, IPS, Director, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), recommended a platform similar to an urban heat mitigation lab that would serve as a knowledge hub for urban heat mitigation research in India. Dr Shailesh Agrawal, Executive Director of the Building Material & Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC), also encouraged entrepreneurs to label their goods as green materials.

This gathering of policymakers, industry executives, and stakeholders aims to boost India’s housing value chain while also addressing the critical need for decarbonisation in the building sector.

For more details, visit: https://www.jci-hitachi.com/