Godrej Construction has been a pioneer inadopting sustainable construction practices in India and committed tominimizing the impact of construction on the environment. Abhijit Gawde throws light on their initiatives that is effectivelyreducing the overall negative impact on the environment.
“We adhere to stringent waste managementprotocols, recycling water and other materials to reduce waste.”
- AbhijitGawde,
Headof Business Development and Marketing,
Godrej Construction.
Wouldyou throw light on the sustainable alternatives to materials like cement andconcrete that you are developing for the construction industry?
Godrej Construction’s (GC) processes are clearlyaligned and linked to Godrej & Boyce (G&B) Good and Green Policy, thataims to innovate for Good and Green Products (socially and environmentallybeneficial products) to have one-third of the business portfolio revenuescomprising Good and/or Green Products and Services.
We have set up an automated Recycled ConcreteMaterials (RCM) manufacturing plant at Vikhroli, Mumbai. This industrial plantmanufactures concrete blocks for walls and pavers using concrete debrisrecycled from demolished concrete structures from building and infrastructureprojects, which would otherwise end up in already overflowing city landfills.
In India, Concrete debris is a major wastestream in overall C&D waste generated. The manufacturing of these blocksand its product properties by virtue of the raw material used that is locallysourced and have higher recycled content, imbibed efficiency in production,responsible management of water and waste during manufacturing ensuring zerodischarge from the facility, high recyclability of waste product are inherentlygreener than normal concrete or building blocks, effectively reducing theoverall negative impact on environment by use of these materials in buildingover its life cycle.
Wouldyou throw light on the growth of the recycled concrete products that aremanufactured by Godrej Construction?
To demonstrate that the principles of circular economyare feasible, Godrej Construction took the initiative to do so. In line withits core values, Godrej Construction has set up an automated Recycled ConcreteMaterials (RCM) manufacturing plant at Vikhroli, Mumbai. The plant manufacturesconcrete blocks for walls and pavers, using concrete debris recycled fromdemolished concrete structures from building and infrastructure projects.
So far, over 30,000 metric tonnes of concretedebris has been recycled by implementing Circular Economy principles in theConstruction Materials line of business. The recycled concrete materials fromthe plant are also used for constructing customised Prefabricated ConcreteProducts, such as Box Culverts, Ducts, U Drains, and Drain Covers which arebeing used for the major infrastructure projects in Mumbai.
In August 2023, Godrej Construction was awardedwith the prestigious 'Pioneer in Excellence Prize' at the 9th InternationalBest Practice Competition 2023. The event, organized by the Centre forOrganizational Excellence Research, New Zealand, in partnership with theEuropean Foundation of Quality Management EFQM, has recognized the company forits best practices in various categories. Godrej Construction’s commitmenttowards sustainable development is demonstrated through the practice of'Adopting Circular Economy Principles for Recycling Concrete Debris to ProducePrecast Products', has earned a prestigious 5 Stars rating.
Asan extension, are you also offering the Recycled Concrete Blocks and Pavers toother infrastructure projects considering that it could be a potential businessopportunity?
Globally, the construction sector is amongst thelargest consumers of natural raw materials. It is a sector, which is vulnerableto raw material supply problems and price volatility. With new buildings andinfrastructure projects construction work is on the rise, the demand forbuilding materials is expected to increase. That may result in acute shortageof building materials.
As per the World Green Building Council’sreport, building and construction sectors are responsible for 39 per cent ofall carbon emissions in the world, with operational emissions (from energy usedto heat, cool and light buildings) accounting for 28 per cent. The remaining 11per cent comes from embodied carbon emissions that are associated withmaterials and construction processes throughout the whole lifecycle ofbuildings.
Increasing use of recycled constructionmaterials, coupled with the adoption of smart building design and engineeringcould substantially reduce such CO2 emissions. According to a reportreleased by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in 2020, Indiarecycles just 1.0 per cent of its Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste. Managementof C&D waste has become essential to ensure sustainable infrastructuralgrowth across the globe.
The major proportion of C&D waste comprisesdebris generated from the demolition activities of old buildings, roads,bridges, etc. C&D waste can be considered as a resourceful opportunity witha potential of nearly 70 per cent of waste that could be recovered usingappropriate methods and guidelines during any demolition activity.
Asa construction major, what are the other areas of construction that you believecan be keenly looked at to reduce carbon emissions and make projects moresustainable?
Environmental stewardship is at the core of ouroperations. To minimize our carbon footprint, we have implemented eco-friendlyproduction processes and energy-efficient technologies. We adhere to stringentwaste management protocols, recycling water and other materials to reducewaste. The Godrej TUFF brand offers a breakthrough range of customised and environmentallyconscious products in construction materials.
Godrej Construction has received the ‘Green Pro’certificate from Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) for their Ready-MixConcrete (RMC) products, such as Enviro TUFF, Xtra TUFF, and Easy TUFF.
Our four RMC plants in the Mumbai-MMR and Puneregion have been commended with the ‘Green Pro’ certification by Indian GreenBuilding Council (IGBC). All our building construction projects are designedusing Green Building principles. Many of our buildings are certified asPlatinum or Gold rated Green Buildings. Our IT Park building, 02 GodrejBusiness District (GBD) at Vikhroli, Mumbai was awarded Platinum rating forHealth and Well-being for built environment by IGBC. 02 GBD IT Park building isLEED Platinum rated green building and the common areas of this building is 100per cent powered by renewable energy.
Recently, our IT Park building, 02 GodrejBusiness District (GBD) at Vikhroli, Mumbai, has won the prize for ‘ExcellentEnergy Efficient Unit’ at the Confederation of Indian Industry National Awardfor Excellence in the Energy Management 2023 - Building Sector.
Whatare the policy initiatives that are required to bring about the necessarychange in the construction of buildings?
The Construction and Demolition Waste ManagementRules notified in 2016 by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and ClimateChange (MoEF) have provided detailed guidelines to all concerned stakeholdersincluding the state governments to address the growing concern of C&D waste.However, the actual implementation of these rules has witnessed multiplechallenges.
MoEF had proposed a 3-year action plan in 2019for better governance, reduced landfill use, effective management ofconstruction waste through recycling and to increase the focus on resourceefficiency. Concerted efforts by Niti Aayog, MoEF, state governments and UrbanLocal bodies (ULBs) along with recent critical policy developments are expectedto accelerate effective C&D waste management across various Indian cities.
To promote higher uptake of recycled productsmade using C&D waste in construction sector, it suggested that moreemphasis is needed on the following aspects:
• The government should evolve and implement publicprocurement policy on recycled products.
• The government should lower the GST slab ratesfor recycled products.
• BIS/IRC should incorporate new guidelines inrelevant building design codes and standards to encourage use of C&D wasteright at the design stage of any project.
• Incentivize all stakeholders involved inC&D waste management to provide financial benefits for betterimplementation of C&D waste rules and framework.
• The government should also mandate the use ofrecycled products from C&D waste in all private and public infrastructureprojects encouraging circular economy.
Incidentally, it is heartening to note that theMinistry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has recently taken few steps tofinalize guidelines for value engineering during preparation of feasibilityreports of proposed highway projects for promoting use of C&D waste.
Howdo you ensure that the materials are engineered to provide the strength,durability, sustainability, and economy needed for the structural andenvironmental requirements of the project?
Quality is our foremost priority. Our RMC plantsare certified by Quality Council of India (QCI). Our quality control measuresinclude regular material testing, on-site inspections, and adherence toindustry benchmarks. These stringent processes ensure that our RMC products areof the highest quality, meeting the strictest standards and regulations.
Our RMC Central Quality Laboratory at Vikhroli,Mumbai recently received a ‘Certificate of Accreditation from NationalAccreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) by ISO /IEC17025:2017. NABL accreditation reinforces our commitment to achieving qualityexcellence for our products and services.
“Our quality control measures include regularmaterial testing, on-site inspections, and adherence to industry benchmarks.These stringent processes ensure that our RMC products are of the highestquality, meeting the strictest standards and regulations.”
- AbhijitGawde,
Headof Business Development and Marketing,
GodrejConstruction.