CII Construction Summit Ignites Vision for Sustainable Future, Celebrates Construction Sector’s Employment-Intensive Growth
New Delhi, 4 August 2023 – In a gathering of industry leaders and experts at the 5th edition of the CII Construction Summit held today in New Delhi, the construction sector was hailed as a potentially employment-intensive sector, poised for transformative growth. The summit, organized by CII Northern Region, shed light on the sector’s pivotal role in shaping a sustainable future and combating climate change.
Chief Guest, Mr Rajesh Gupta, Director – Sustainable Development Goals, NITI Aayog, Government of India, stressed the importance of the construction sector as the only industry with employment elasticity growth greater than that of the land employment generating sector, showcasing its exceptional potential in generating employment opportunities for millions of individuals. He declared that the sector stands at the cusp of change and lauded NITI Aayog’s commitment to transitioning towards a Net Zero future.
In his keynote address, Mr Anjan Ray, Adjunct Faculty, IIT Delhi, and Former Director, CSIR, Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee, emphasized that skill and capabilities building are paramount for the construction sector’s progress. He urged stakeholders to think collectively for a sustainable future, promoting the usage of innovative technologies and energy-efficient techniques in construction and building operations. Mr Ray stated that evidence-based actions are crucial to creating projects that will stand the test of time for a century.
Mr Madhavkrishna Singhania, Deputy Chairman, CII Northern Region, and Deputy Managing Director and CEO, JK Cement Limited, highlighted the overarching theme of sustainability for future-building. He revealed that sustainability has been incorporated as a key element in CII Northern Region’s work plan for 2023-24 as well. CII’s tireless efforts include promoting sustainability through policies, public-private partnerships, capacity building, technology and innovation, education, and outreach across sectors.
Addressing the pressing challenge of climate change, Mr V Suresh, Chairman, IGBC Policy Advocacy Committee, and Chairman National Building Code of India, also urged everyone to rededicate themselves to combating climate change. He highlighted Net Zero as a key solution for creating healthier and sustainable built environments, making communities more thriving and resilient. Mr Suresh revealed that CII – Indian Green Building Council has achieved an astounding 10.27 billion sq. ft. of green building footprint spread across 11,050+ projects all over India, positioning India as the world’s 2nd highest in green building footprint. He further announced the launch of the ‘Mission on Net Zero,’ aiming to facilitate India’s journey towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The 5th CII Construction Summit culminated in a unified vision to embrace sustainability and innovation as the driving force behind the construction sector’s future growth. With the sector’s potential to provide employment opportunities and build sustainable, climate-resilient infrastructure, it holds the key to a prosperous and resilient India.
