Every day, we walk into the offices, cooled long before dawn and lit up like it is always high noon. Behind these seemingly harmless workplace practices lies an extraordinary impact on the planet, our cities, and our collective future.
As climate concerns become urgent and environmental responsibility non-negotiable, the built environment can no longer afford to stay in the realm of just good intentions. The architecture, interiors and construction sectors account for over a third of the world's energy use and CO? emissions and consume more raw materials than any other industry. This puts a greater burden on adopting sustainable practices in meaningful ways.
Therefore, it is time to move from ambition to action. The future of the built environment depends on detailed, systematic decisions embedded throughout every project's lifecycle circularity. This can be achieved through well-executed marginal capex increments.
Integrating Sustainability
Sustainability must move beyond being a project-specific requirement to an organisational discipline. It begins by establishing internal systems that treat sustainability as a core function, which is governed, resourced and tracked like any other business imperative. This shift requires dedicated teams with cross-functional oversight empowered to influence design, procurement, engineering, and construction methods. When sustainability is institutionalised in this way, it transitions from a compliance metric to a performance driver.
Impactful Interiors
Strategic interior design can be a powerful driver of sustainability. Regarding material reuse, acoustic sheet scraps can be turned into wall panels and rafters, and leftover plywood and block boards can be repurposed for furniture like shelves and benches.
Similarly, stone off-cuts can be converted into tabletops and shelves, and sawdust can be compressed into boards for construction use. These practices can help lower the need for new raw materials and reduce waste.
Utilising mechanisms like rooftop solar installations, procuring renewable energy through Open Access, signing long-term Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with developers, or purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), companies can potentially eliminate nearly all their Scope 2 Emissions, contributing to India's national target of 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.
Power of Going Green
Companies in India can transition to green power at a marginal additional cost of Rs 0.6-0.7 per unit. Electricity consumption often represents 30-70% of their overall carbon emissions due to the national grid's reliance on fossil fuels, with coal generating 70% of this power.
By leveraging India's rapidly expanding renewable energy capacity, which surpassed 220 GW in early 2025, businesses can replace carbon-intensive grid electricity while eventually saving on costs. For example, in a 40,000 sq ft. office space, shifting to Open-Access solar power can save Rs 12 lakh annually.
Efficiency, Not Excess
One of the most overlooked inefficiencies in commercial fit-outs is the tendency to overdesign. HVAC systems are often oversized, lighting schemes are over specified, and electrical capacities are exaggerated. These redundancies, while often unintentional, result in higher capital expenditures, increased operational energy use, and unnecessary emissions over the building's lifecycle.
Precision engineering, based on actual usage patterns and occupancy forecasts, can reduce this environmental burden by up to 50% in some environments. It also unlocks cost savings and enhances long-term asset performance.
Technology for Measurable Impact
Technological interventions are no longer optional in high-performance buildings. However, for sustainability to benefit from technology, integration must be intentional and goal-driven. IoT-based building management systems (BMS), occupancy sensors, daylight-linked lighting controls, and predictive maintenance tools enable buildings to become responsive.
These tools do more than automate; they provide critical data on how a space is used, where energy is wasted, and how systems can be fine-tuned in real time. The value lies in the insight they generate, not just the automation they offer.
Addressing Embodied Carbon
While operational energy has traditionally dominated the sustainability discourse, embodied carbon is emerging as an equally critical consideration. This includes emissions associated with material extraction, manufacturing, transport and construction. In high-density urban projects or rapid interior fit-outs, embodied carbon often represents over half of the building's total lifecycle emissions.
Design and procurement strategies through consultants must now prioritise low-impact materials, recycled content and modular construction approaches. Selecting finishes with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), sourcing materials locally, and planning for disassembly or reuse support circularity.
Certification Drives Performance
The efficiency of any sustainability strategy lies in how rigorously it is measured and managed over time. Certifications like LEED, WELL or IGBC provide a valuable framework. Push for Scope 3, as most suppliers might be on the sustainability track.
Beyond this, key metrics such as energy use intensity (EUI), water reuse ratios, waste diversion rates, and CO?-equivalent reductions should be measured throughout the project's lifecycle. These metrics ensure that sustainability remains a dynamic, evolving process rather than a static credential.
Through the above measures, the savings in ongoing power consumption could be more than 20%, which justifies marginal capex increment and investment in sustainability.
