Johnson Controls charts the path for India’s net zero future at India Green Building Congress 2023

Johnson Controls’ whitepaper titled ‘Tech for Green India – Mission Net Zero’ at the 21st edition of CII India Green Building Congress 2023 details the role of green buildings and technology in India’s vision for decarbonisation and key challenges and opportunities facing the industry today.

Climate change is upon us, and the world is grappling with erratic weather and the havoc created by a higher frequency of extreme weather conditions. All nations have announced a net zero emissions target date, keeping in mind their developmental needs.

India, emerging as a proponent of cleaner energy, has rapidly advanced to secure its position as the fourth-largest player in renewable energy capacity. Amidst this transition, India’s green building sector has made substantial progress, yet its transformative influence still needs to be improved, leaving vast untapped potential. While the culmination of India’s Mission Net Zero is some time away, given India’s development needs, we must work towards it on priority. In this whitepaper, Johnson Controls evaluates the building sector landscape in India and its challenges and further evaluates potential solutions through the lens of multiple case studies from around the world.

Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings, launched a whitepaper titled ‘Tech for Green India – Mission Net Zero’ at the 21st edition of Green Building Congress 2023, India’s flagship conference and expo on the green built environment.

Anu Rathninde, president of Asia Pacific, Johnson Controls, said, “Buildings contribute nearly 40 percent of global emissions, and at Johnson Controls, our priority is to help make buildings more sustainable and energy efficient, providing solutions that meet the specific needs of each building. We believe a holistic and collaborative approach will enable the nation to realise its full potential effectively. This paper aligns with our vision for sustainability, and we are committed to continuous innovation and collaboration with our ecosystem partners in the journey to a decarbonised future.”

In response to the climate crisis, nations worldwide have accelerated their efforts towards achieving net zero emissions and have set targets in alignment with their developmental needs. India, the third largest energy consumer in the world, established a target of meeting net zero emissions by 2070. In the collective efforts towards achieving these goals, the whitepaper details the role of technology in transforming buildings and urban spaces.

The whitepaper delves into the challenges facing India’s green building industry, proposing a comprehensive approach to address these issues. It emphasises the importance of awareness campaigns and education in sustainability, advocating for integrating green building modules into academic curricula.

Additionally, it stresses the need to create a pool of energy experts and offer life-cycle costing training to emphasise long-term financial gains. Meanwhile, strengthening the incentive framework around green building projects in terms of low-interest loans, additional construction areas, discounted property taxes, and worker skilling would be hugely beneficial to the sector.

Standardisation is highlighted, suggesting the consolidation of green building standards into legally binding certifications for wider adoption and consistent evaluation criteria. Leveraging India’s PM Gati Shakti Platform to consolidate information on green buildings fostering a network and an information dashboard for more effective use of green building technology are recommended. Moreover, the paper underscores the role of technology, advocating for smart controls, IoT, innovative materials and behavioural changes in residents, which can create smart, energy-efficient, and resilient buildings.

Arun Awasthy, President & MD, Johnson Controls India, elaborated on India’s complex green building terrain and highlighted India’s Mission Net Zero and how technologies can be leveraged to foster an effective roadmap for a sustainable future. He said, “India is at the cusp of making some great breakthroughs in the Green Building sector. We are at a point that demands immediate action and collaboration. It is heartening to see a strong willingness among public and private sector stakeholders to collaborate on a framework that accelerates India’s green building adoption. At Johnson Controls India, we look forward to being at the forefront of this reform.”

The path to a sustainable, greener India is already underway, with a horizon full of opportunities for a cleaner and brighter future. As India urbanises rapidly, its urban transformation is hinged on infrastructural change – some estimates claim that 70 percent of India’s buildings are yet to be built. The opportunity to make them ‘green’ is now.