New Delhi/Mumbai, February 19, 2024: Saint-Gobain Glass India has partnered with 'Build Ahead', a coalition led by Xynteo, to accelerate decarbonization efforts in the Indian construction sector. This collaboration aims to support India's goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. The partnership was announced during 'The Exchange' event in New Delhi on February 15, 2024, which brought together key players from various sectors to promote the scale-up of decarbonization technologies and the use of energy-efficient building materials.
The construction sector currently accounts for over 40% of India's total energy consumption, making sustainable construction essential to address challenges like climate change and resource scarcity. Saint-Gobain Glass India is leading efforts in light and sustainable construction through its products and solutions, with a focus on reducing carbon footprint and enhancing occupant comfort.
A. R. Unnikrishnan, Managing Director, Glass and Glass Solutions, Saint-Gobain, emphasized the company's commitment to reducing carbon footprint and contributing to a decarbonized India. He stated, "At Saint-Gobain, our purpose is to make the world a better home. The planet that we call home today has to continue as a home for future generations too. As stakeholders in the built ecosystem, we have a huge responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint. The construction value chain from raw material manufacturers, architects and designers, real estate developers to end occupiers can play a huge role in decarbonizing our built ecosystem by actively collaborating. I’m sure coalitions such as ‘Build Ahead’ will enable active collaborations towards a decarbonized India and we are happy to contribute to this initiative.”
Anand Santhanam, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Glass Business, Saint-Gobain India, highlighted the role of glass as a versatile and sustainable building material and announced the launch of India’s first Low-carbon glass. He said, "Glass is one of the most versatile and more sustainable building materials and plays a vital role in modern construction. It offers transparency, natural light, solar and thermal insulation, contributing to energy efficiency and occupant comfort. Saint-Gobain Glass India has always pioneered products and solutions for sustainable construction. Accelerating our efforts towards a decarbonized built environment, we have recently launched, India’s first Low-carbon glass with an estimated carbon footprint reduction of approximately 40% compared to our existing products. It is but natural for us to be a part of ‘Build Ahead’ and join hands with forward-looking industry players. We strongly believe our association with this coalition will further amplify active collaborations amongst like-minded stakeholders in ushering in a sustainable future.”
The 'Build Ahead' Coalition aims to increase the adoption of low-carbon building materials across real estate, construction, and infrastructure projects to achieve India's net-zero emissions goal. The coalition includes industry leaders like Lodha, JSW, Godrej, and Ultratech.
The 'Exchange' event provides a platform for stakeholder dialogues and showcases solutions for sustainability challenges. Saint-Gobain Glass India is participating in various platforms to facilitate stakeholder conversations during the event.
