Redevelopment with a Conscience

Akash Pharande,

As India’s cities expand, redevelopment projects are rapidly reshaping our cities’ skylines. But, this transformation invariably brings some serious challenges with it – that of natural ecosystems being urbanised.

It is widely acknowledged that modern construction consumes significant resources. Buildings consume nearly a third of available potable water, as much as 1/4th of the available electricity. In return, they give rise to huge quantities of waste. This has given rise to the trend in sustainable buildings, which tend to replace older, wasteful buildings and societies.

If done right, sustainable real estate uses less than half the water and energy of regular, older buildings. This reduces their environmental footprint, which is crucial. Climate change and increasing resource scarcity are to be taken seriously.

India has been at the forefront of the Paris Accords on climate change. This accord makes sustainability a national responsibility – of real estate developers and consumers. Responsible building practices and insistence on sustainability features in the spaces we occupy are no longer optional.

Redevelopment that Respects Nature

The Ministry of Urban Development issued its Model Building Bye-Laws in 2016. Plots above 100 square metres that cover a significant chunk of redevelopment projects have to follow these. Under its provisions, one tree must be planted for every 80 square meters being developed. Three new trees must be planted for every tree chopped down. And, the development must retain a minimum of 20% of unpaved land for open or recreational green space.

This is a critical measure to protect biodiversity amid densely urbanised areas. It is also important because redevelopment is driven by a clear profit motive. Further, the first instinct for precious space in city centres is to build up every available square foot.

The Ecological Toll of Construction

Despite these and other related mitigation measures, there is no getting completely around the ecological consequences of construction, which involves clearing of vegetation, deep excavation work, and the use of heavy machinery. This has a direct impact on the natural habitats of birds, insects, and smaller mammals. Moreover, use of fossil fuels, paints, solvents, and volatile organic compounds in construction releases heavy pollutants that pollute soil and groundwater.

Particulate matter severely impacts the air quality. Further, toxic effluents play havoc with the aquatic ecosystems. At any construction site, the local flora and fauna are the silent victims.

Green Construction Lessens Ecological Impact

When redevelopment, or any development for that matter, is done from a sustainable construction perspective, it will involve materials that are gentler in their ecological impact. Greener construction materials include bricks made of fly ash, bamboo, autoclaved aerated concrete panels, and less dense concrete. Not only do these materials put less pressure on the environment, but they are also largely recyclable.

Sustainable development also involves better insulation materials, which reduce the need for power-intensive climate controls like ACs, which also use very harmful coolant gas, and reduce overall emissions. At the same time, new technologies like solar panels and passive solar designs reduce reliance on fossil fuels, while “cool” roofs treated with reflective paint help counteract the harmful urban heat island effect.

The idea behind all these measures remains clear and unwavering – redevelopment must coexist more respectfully with the ecology. The old ways simply don’t serve the needs of the current day any longer.

Integrated Townships – A New Blueprint for Urban India

Moving away from redevelopment, which is basically an afterthought, there is an even more important greenfield development concept that is forward-looking – that of integrated townships.

These massive, master-planned developments have sustainability embedded in their very DNA and in every facet of their design. Efficiently combining residential, commercial, leisure, and green spaces into a cohesive whole, they significantly reduce not only ecological impact but also the stress levels of their inhabitants.

Integrated townships are, quite simply, the ideal blueprint of our urban future and are becoming more and more prevalent in cities like Pune, Bengaluru and the National Capital Region.

Much has been achieved when it comes to taking sustainable development from concept to construction site, but a lot more needs to be done if we are to meet our climate commitments and leave a better urban environment for the future generations.

Perhaps most importantly, we need to realize that sustainability is not just a construction strategy and just the responsibility of real estate developers. It is a responsibility we all share to build and inhabit a nation whose progress does not come at the expense of the environment.

Akash Pharande, Managing Director – Pharande Spaces
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