Charting the path to greener buildings, Expert’s insights on technology adoption and social equity and sustainable practices in facility management

Industry professionals gathered to discuss the pivotal role of sustainability practices and green building trends in today’s business landscape. Sustainability practices and green building trends, highlighted the growing importance of incorporating eco-friendly initiatives into building projects to mitigate environmental impact.

“Sustainability is a practice about ecological, economic health, and vitality. The construction of buildings and other infrastructure using sustainable technologies and materials is key in this type of initiative,” said Neelam Chhabra, Assistant Vice President Facilities- India, Max Life Insurance Company, emphasising the significance of sustainability.

Addressing the role of technology in advancing sustainability goals, Mannu Basi, Manager – Corporate Real Estate – Facilities, Carelon Global Solutions, raised concerns about the utilisation of available technology. Basi commented, “It’s all about intent vs action. Are we using the technology 100 per cent that we need to question? 90 per cent of the offices after COVID-19 are still not touchless, and we know what is available in the market, but are we using it to its full potential? That is something we need to be concerned about. We have to adopt the available technology as early as possible.”

Highlighting the technological upgrades implemented for sustainability, Amar Shetye, Global Operations Head- RMG, Tata Consultancy Services said, “We have upgraded the fans in the air handling units. 23.8 million square feet of space across the country of TCS’s units in more than 15 cities, all of which is monitored by the Internet Of Things (IoT) energy management system. Solar panels, speaking of that many houses have solar panels installed on the terrace of their house, and that is very impactful. When it comes to corporates, there is always a Return On Investment (ROI) calculation.”

Rishi Pawah, Head of Engineering and Management, Noida International Airport, discussed the financial aspect of sustainability initiatives, at the BW Facility Management 40 Under 40 Awards 2024, hosted by BW BusinessWorld, stating that the funding companies are also investing with a condition and looking at the ESG reports and sustainability scores and the reporting and governance around that. They are committing to a rate, especially in terms of solar and these are power purchase agreements for 25 years.

Sanjay Shishodia, DGM – Corporate Administration & Facility Management, Hero MotoCorp, highlighted the company’s focus on social aspects of sustainability, stating, “Our manufacturing units are built in such a way that welcomes everyone. The women workforce on our board constitutes around 23 per cent. So, that is how we are progressing around the social aspect.”

Sanjay Shishodia, DGM – Corporate Administration & Facility Management, Hero MotoCorp, emphasised the company’s emphasis on the social aspects of sustainability, explaining that their manufacturing units are designed to be inclusive, and welcoming to everyone. He mentioned that approximately 23 per cent of the women workforce serves on their board, indicating their progress in the social aspect of sustainability.