***Support the podcast, become a member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCksnReFEAAK47cTVZBVQJrw/join  

On, OoruLabs, India's premier urban issues podcast, a free ranging conversation between Sathya Sankaran, Host of the podcast and Sriram Kuchimanchi of Smarter Dharma explores the role of buildings, their contribution to our current problems and their role in the future of cities.

Buildings account for a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact. The potential to build sustainable buildings is crucial, especially considering the expected infrastructure growth in developing countries. The carbon footprint of buildings is mainly in cement, steel, and concrete. There are various standards and certifications in place, such as the National Building Code and Indian Green Building Council, but they are not always up to date or enforced effectively. The cost of sustainable materials and practices is often perceived as higher, but there is a growing market for sustainable products in industries like clothing and food. There are alternative materials being developed, but they face challenges in perception and mainstream adoption by builders. The conversation explores the challenges and opportunities in achieving net-zero and energy-efficient buildings in India. The discussion highlights the importance of material selection, energy efficiency, and water conservation in building design. It emphasizes the need for collaboration between builders, buyers, and the government to drive sustainable practices in the construction industry. The conversation also touches on the role of sensors and IoT in monitoring and optimizing building performance. Overall, the goal is to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings and work towards India's target of becoming a net-zero carbon country by 2070.

-

Keywords

buildings, greenhouse gas emissions, infrastructure, carbon footprint, cement, steel, concrete, standards, certifications, sustainable materials, cost, alternative materials, net-zero, energy-efficient buildings, material selection, energy efficiency, water conservation, collaboration, builders, buyers, government, sensors, IoT, carbon footprint, India

——

Sound Bites

"Buildings are always second or third in the top four most greenhouse gas emitting industries."

"85 to 90% of the building's carbon footprint is in cement, steel, and concrete."

"There are standards of multiple kinds, but they are not always up to date and evolving."

"If I have to put it in one, show me one building which has stood for five years with this brick."

"A lot of builders are genuinely interested in doing the right thing."

"How much should the user know? What is the buyer supposed to be looking for?"

———

Chapters

00:00 The Environmental Impact of Buildings

07:04 The Carbon Footprint of Buildings

09:01 Challenges with Standards and Certifications

23:06 The Cost Perception of Sustainable Materials

30:07 Developing Alternative Materials for Construction

31:05 The Challenge of Material Selection

35:21 The Role of Buyers in Driving Sustainable Practices

41:36 Builders' Adoption of Net-Zero Practices

51:39 The Importance of Sensors and IoT in Building Performance

56:55 Defining Net-Zero Buildings

59:51 Mitigation and Offset Strategies for Net-Zero

01:01:18 Collaboration for a Sustainable Future

————

Stock video and picture credits to various contributors. All rights belong to respective owners. Show notes generated by Riverside AI.

—————

Listen to other video-pods on this topic and subscribe to the channel

Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/show/6EYcxIPGW0UQvmkk67Ox0x?si=efbf1c2c47d449be

Apple Podcasts link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oorulabs-podcast/id1682407685 

YouTube link: YouTube.com/@oorulabs 

Website: https://podcast.oorulabs.com 

Join this WhatsApp community to receive updates on OoruLabs Podcast https://chat.whatsapp.com/HquObSYDOFz5DXP6TEh07W