At the 3rd Realty+ Harit Bharat Leadership Summit & Awards 2025, the discussion was focused on moving beyond isolated green building practices to a coordinated, multi-sector approach for climate readiness. The central message was clear: climate resilience requires synchronizing building design, city planning, policy enforcement, and supply chain innovation.
Moderated by Deepali Dhuliya, Director, Strategic Consulting, Cushman & Wakefield India, with a distinguished panel: Aparna Khemani (Senior Associate, Co-Managing Director, Gensler, Mumbai), George Abraham (Regional Head – Market Development, GBCI India), Lalit Kumar Tiwari (President – EHS & Group Chief Sustainability Officer, ESG, Kalpataru Projects), Prashant Deshmukh (Principal Architect, Prashant Deshmukh & Associates), and Dr. Sunita Purushottam (Head – Sustainability, Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd.).
One of the most talked-about advancements was the evolution of global sustainability rating systems. The latest version of the LEED framework introduces a sharper focus on three interconnected pillars decarbonization (operational, embodied, and travel-related carbon), quality of life (human health, resilience, and comfort), and ecological conservation and restoration. Over 50 projects worldwide have already tested the new system, which incorporates early-stage design tools such as massing analysis to assess building orientation, material use, ventilation strategies, daylight access, and solar impact. These predictive tools help estimate carbon footprints and energy savings before construction even begins, and the framework will now be updated every five years to stay on track with net-zero targets.
While these innovations inspire optimism, the ground reality presents significant barriers. The availability of more than two million low-carbon materials globally is of limited value without a trained workforce to deploy them. Adoption of new technologies, such as electric construction equipment, often runs into procedural bottlenecks and policy gaps. Cost perceptions remain another hurdle, though practical case studies show that thoughtful, context-driven solutions can deliver both sustainability and savings for instance, the use of gabion walls for earth retention, which can be compliant with codes while reducing project costs by several crores.
The pandemic has also reshaped building priorities. Post-COVID designs increasingly incorporate features such as elevated disease investigation centers to avoid ground contamination, demonstrating how health and safety can be integrated into sustainable construction. Yet, large-scale issues like construction and demolition waste remain unresolved. Of 65 approved C&D waste recycling plants in the country, fewer than 20 are operational, leaving redevelopment projects in major cities to generate massive volumes of debris without adequate disposal or recycling infrastructure.
The session also stressed that climate-resilient design need not rely exclusively on high-cost technology. Reviving traditional Indian architectural elements such as courtyards and atriums can improve natural lighting and ventilation while reducing reliance on mechanical systems. This fusion of traditional wisdom and modern engineering offers cost-effective pathways to achieving sustainability goals.
A strong policy push will be essential. Cities must create integrated climate action plans that align heat mitigation strategies, flood control measures, and broader environmental policies. Blue-green infrastructure—designed to reduce both urban heat and flooding—was cited as a promising approach. However, fragmented governance often dilutes impact. While regulations exist for C&D waste management, enforcement remains inconsistent, and accountability for violations such as illegal construction over water bodies or the cutting of heritage trees is often unclear.
To address these issues, the panel proposed linking green building incentives to approval systems like RERA, building permissions, and digital monitoring platforms. Establishing state-level decarbonization and climate resilience cells that work alongside disaster management agencies was recommended, as was breaking down departmental silos so that climate plans are coordinated across sectors. Certain states, particularly those without comprehensive urban planning policies or where uncontrolled development continues unchecked, were identified as priority areas for intervention.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of building capacity across the broader ecosystem. Collaborations with industry associations, trade councils, and MSMEs can strengthen the supply chain for sustainable materials, while city-level planning ensures that individual green buildings contribute to a larger climate resilience framework. The consensus was that unnecessary redevelopment should be avoided, and that policies must be enforced with last-mile accountability to deliver real results.
