Mahindra Lifespaces® (MLDL), the real estate and infrastructure development arm of the Mahindra Group, and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) recently published key findings from five years of research on resource-efficient buildings, materials and technologies tailored to Indian climates and conditions. Led by a team of experts at the Mahindra-TERI Centre of Excellence (CoE), a first-of-its-kind joint research initiative between Mahindra Lifespaces® and TERI, these findings comprise guidebooks and toolkits that were launched in the presence of Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India. Mahindra Lifespaces® and TERI also announced the commencement of the second phase of research efforts at the CoE, which will continue to develop science-based solutions for India’s construction industry.

The findings and impact of five years of research on green buildings in India at the Mahindra-TERI Centre of Excellence are funded by Mahindra. MLDL has also signed an MoU with TERI for Phase-2 of this research, in the presence of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India. The research will deeply impact how environment-friendly buildings are designed and developed in India, and align with the Mahindra philosophy of ‘Rise’.

Delivering the keynote address at the event, Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India, reiterated the importance of collaboration between industry and researchers to develop integrated solutions for all aspects of sustainability, efficiency and comfort in the built environment. He added that the state-of-the-art Mahindra-TERI Centre of Excellence is a commendable step towards making available credible data to support the development of resource-efficient buildings and homes that protect the environment and enhance the quality of life for users.

Arvind Subramanian, Managing Director and CEO, Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited, added, “With much of India’s future building stock yet to take shape, the real estate industry can play a critical role in meeting our country’s Net Zero goals and SDG commitments, while at the same time crafting buildings designed for superior user comfort and well-being. We are delighted to continue our partnership with TERI to support the widespread adoption of resource-efficient design and construction practices. The Mahindra-TERI Centre of Excellence will continue to work towards bridging the gap in publicly available data, tools and guidelines to support the development of green buildings in India.”

In her opening remarks at the launch event, Dr Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI, said, “The Mahindra-TERI CoE exemplified our focus on sustainability beyond just business towards creating a resilient and livable ecosystem empowering a transformative ‘greener urban future’ across India’s built environment.”

Welcoming the esteemed dignitaries, Sanjay Seth, Senior Director, TERI, emphasised, “The collaborative initiative has created a platform for validated information on materials, technologies and occupant comfort about the built environment with the underlying principles of ‘greener yet cheaper’ built spaces.”

The event also saw the kick-off for the project ‘Multi-pronged approach to promote the use of energy-efficient glazing in Indian context’. This project is envisaged under the aegis of MoU signed between TERI and Glazing Society of India (GSI) in February 2021.

In his special address, A R Unnikrishnan, Chairman, GSI, said, “It is essential to increase awareness, build simplified tools and train the entire construction value chain for the right selection and use of energy-efficient glass in buildings as per the Indian energy codes and standards. Initiating this exercise from affordable housing would be an ideal platform to showcase the increased energy efficiency of buildings using the right glass and ascertain the occupant comfort. Today, the TERI-GSI project kick-off would provide a larger momentum and benefits to the consumers in understanding and selecting the energy-efficient glass for the buildings.”

Research at the Mahindra-TERI CoE is aligned to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) adopted by the United Nations – SDG 13 on climate action; SDG 7 on clean and sustainable energy; and SDG 6 on sustainable water use. The Mahindra-TERI CoE has generated interest from researchers, students, government institutions, academia and industry globally. The University of New-South Wales, Sydney, has signed an agreement with TERI for testing the thermal properties of materials developed in its research lab at the CoE. Industry partners such as Asahi India Glass Ltd. (AIS) will help augment the testing capabilities of the Mahindra-TERI CoE with equipment for testing transparent materials such as glass.

The Mahindra-TERI research lab in Gurgaon is a SVAGRIHA five-star rated facility accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).