Ar Manonjaya Rath, Chairman of IGBC Bhubaneswar, stressed the critical need for Green Building in India, noting that much of the country’s infrastructure is yet to be developed. By emphasizing energy efficiency, integrating the 3Rs (recharge, reduce, reuse), and adopting rainwater harvesting, he highlighted how Green Building is key to a sustainable future.
Sidhesh Ku. Mishra, Deputy Director of IGBC, spoke about the crucial role of the India Green Building Council (IGBC) in advancing sustainable construction practices and championing environmentally responsible, energy-efficient buildings across India.
Sarika Panda Bhatt, Founder and Trustee of Raahgiri Foundation, emphasized that India must develop its own unique urbanization model, as it cannot directly follow the U.S. approach due to differing contexts and challenges. She called for a Net Positive strategy, focusing on creating accessible, sustainable, and resilient urban spaces.
Kajri Mishra warned that India is facing a crisis and will be unable to meet the SDG goals without transforming its cities. She stressed that sustainable urbanization alone is insufficient and urged a shift towards Net Positive urbanization with a strong emphasis on city resilience to address these pressing challenges.
