Feature image: The LEED Zero Carbon ITC Windsor. Photo courtesy of ITC Hotels.

The concept of sustainability has always been part of the culture and traditions of India. However, with the modernization and advancement that has taken place over the past few decades, sustainability started to take a backseat to other goals. Recently, though, with the collective efforts of world leaders, sustainability has started to advance in many countries, including India. Now, the sustainability journey of India is witnessing a great acceleration, one that is expected to grow daily.

Recent steps toward net zero

At the COP 26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland, the Honorable Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi announced the nation’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2070. This ambitious target is part of India’s broader climate action plan, known as the Panchamrita strategy, which includes the commitments that need to be achieved by 2030 targeting the areas of non–fossil fuel energy capacity, renewable energy use, carbon emission and intensity reduction, finally paving the way for net zero emissions across the industry sector.

India has been actively working toward mitigating carbon emissions through various initiatives and policies. The country is committed to achieving significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions while promoting sustainable development. A few of the initiatives meant to create a smooth transition to a net zero carbon economy are:

The National Action Plan on Climate Change: Outlines eight national missions focusing on various aspects of climate change, including solar energy, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable agriculture and more.
Mission Innovation: A global initiative to accelerate public and private clean energy innovation to address climate change, make clean energy affordable, and create green jobs and commercial opportunities.
The National Solar Mission: Created to establish India as a global leader in solar energy by creating an enabling policy framework for the deployment of 100 gigawatts of solar power by 2022.
Wind energy: Policies to support the development of wind energy projects, including incentives and subsidies.
Bioenergy: Policies to promote the use of biomass and biofuels as sustainable energy sources.

In addition, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has introduced guidelines to enhance transparency and accountability in ESG reporting. These guidelines encourage companies to disclose their carbon emissions, climate risks and mitigation strategies, promoting sustainable business practices. SEBI has urged the top 1,000 corporations in India to come forward to declare their carbon neutrality targets, and most of them have taken up this challenge. Most of them have already declared their carbon-neutral journey, and now work is in progress in their facilities.

Finance Minister Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman has emphasized the importance of ESG practices for Indian businesses, including those in the Fortune 500. This initiative is part of a broader effort to integrate sustainable practices into the Indian corporate sector, promoting transparency and accountability.

An office space with plants bordering the front. — Left: A green office space in the LEED Gold EON Free Zone in Pune, Maharashtra. Right: A LEED Platinum VMWare corporate building in Mumbai. Photos courtesy of LEAD Consultancy.

A glass-walled and strikingly designed office building seen from the street. — Left: A green office space in the LEED Gold EON Free Zone in Pune, Maharashtra. Right: A LEED Platinum VMWare corporate building in Mumbai. Photos courtesy of LEAD Consultancy.

Growing awareness and expanding strategies

As India rapidly urbanizes, with urban areas projected to house 37% of the population and generate 70% of GDP by 2030, sustainable urban development becomes crucial. This development also presents us with an opportunity to effectively tackle carbon emissions. On the government side, key policies and initiatives in India, such as the National Urban Policy Framework, Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana and the National Solar Mission, aim to address urban challenges through renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable water management.

In the building sector, India has come a long way in growing its number of sustainable buildings. India ranking third in the world in the 2023 Top 10 Countries for LEED green building clearly shows the country’s commitment and interest in achieving sustainability results.

At the government and the ministry level, the energy conservation building code (ECBC) addressing building specific energy conservation requirements was launched in 2007. The ECBC 2017 was released later, which brought more stringent requirements. Numerous ECBC cells were formed across various states to create awareness and to help with the notification and implementation processes.

The ECBC code is currently being transformed to become a broader sustainability code, which would be named the energy conservation sustainability building code (ECSBC), to cover other aspects such as site management, water conservation, waste management and indoor environmental quality, along with energy management. The residential sector is also addressed separately with the Eco Niwas Samhita code (ENS 2024).

The motivation is again the move toward reduction in the nation’s carbon footprint. The concept of net zero is gaining traction, with more and more corporate professionals and builders interested in evaluating the embodied carbon of buildings through life cycle assessment (LCA). The green building movement has given momentum and exposure to various stakeholders to study ways of reducing our carbon footprint.

LCA is crucial for implementing cost-effective net zero strategies and reducing environmental impacts in building and infrastructure projects. It serves as a foundational study for building carbon emissions in various rating systems and aids in optimizing sustainable processes and developing actionable strategies.

Achieving net zero for buildings is vital for many reasons beyond eliminating emissions: energy efficiency, renewable energy integration, cost savings, health benefits, resilience, market value and regulatory compliance. Net zero buildings are designed with advanced, energy-efficient features and renewable energy sources, attracting higher property values and environmentally conscious occupants. LCA becomes a powerful tool for benchmarking processes for ESG studies.

A modern airport with a complex, gold-toned ceiling grid from which hang biophilic sculptures. — The new Terminal 2 at Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru is LEED-precertified and uses renewable energy sources. Photo courtesy of LEAD Consultancy.

Case study of a commercial building in India

A commercial office building located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, spans a total built-up area of nearly 60,000 square meters. Recognizing the significant environmental impacts associated with buildings throughout their life cycle—from raw material extraction, manufacturing and transportation to construction, operation and eventual demolition—the project team conducted a comprehensive LCA using the OneClick LCA tool.

The LCA focused on the core and shell materials, encompassing over 95% of the building components. The analysis revealed a total carbon emission of 499 KgCO2e per square meter for the building and its components. To achieve net zero carbon, the project demonstrated a substantial reduction in embodied carbon emissions through various strategies, including the use of low-carbon materials, optimization of material efficiency, and incorporation of recycled or reclaimed materials.

Operational carbon

The conditioned area of the same project is 36,332 square meters, and the building comprises three basements, a ground floor and 13 upper floors. The project is located in a warm and humid climatic zone.

Operational carbon can be estimated using energy simulation studies, where a virtual building is constructed along with all the building features and services. Various building components and systems are modeled for accuracy, including the building envelope, lighting system and HVAC system. The dynamics of the climate is captured to estimate the annual energy consumption as per the design.

Key findings during the energy simulation study for the project included:

Building envelope: The proposed design features improved thermal transmittance for external walls, roof construction and fenestration.
Lighting system: The proposed design achieves lower lighting power density in both basement and office areas, with occupant sensor controls and daylight sensors provided.
HVAC system: The proposed design incorporates advanced HVAC systems with variable speed fans, high-efficiency chillers and heat recovery wheels, resulting in significant energy savings.

The proposed design demonstrated an energy performance index of 86 kWh per square meter.

The energy code used for comparison is ASHRAE 90.1.2010. When the baseline case was modeled complying with the energy codes, the resultant energy performance index is 117 KWH per square meter. This shows the effectiveness of the energy conservation measures used in the project. The project performs almost 26% better than the energy codes require.

The rest of the energy consumption is compensated using on-site renewable energy and heavily investing in an offsite renewable energy system, making the project net zero carbon.

To achieve lower carbon in the long term, India focuses on integrating adaptation measures into urban planning, promoting energy and resource efficiency, and ensuring climate-responsive and resilient building designs. Enhancing low-carbon municipal services through efficient management of water, solid and liquid waste is also a priority.

The burning issue of our time is climate change, and this reality is experienced by all. To combat its effects, a united front is required—and the way forward is achieving net zero. Net zero is the buzzword that represents what should be the goal for this generation: to move toward a net positive future.

Understanding the future of net zero carbon in India