Green building roadmap rolled out in T'puram
Speaking at the event, city corporation secretary Jahamgeer S said, "Thiruvananthapuram is expanding rapidly both vertically and horizontally. The 23 local bodies in the district have reported a significant rise in building construction approval requests. To address the increasing energy demand, we have equipped public buildings with solar power systems, achieving a cumulative installed capacity of 17MW under the solar cities programme.
We remain committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions in the building sector and are now working on a climate budget for the city."
NZCRB refers to buildings designed to reduce environmental impact and withstand climate-related challenges. These energy-efficient structures either generate renewable energy onsite or source it externally to achieve net zero carbon emissions.
The plan, developed by the City Corporation with WRI India as a knowledge partner and inputs from architects and experts, outlines 20 key actions to cut emissions across the entire building lifecycle—from design and construction to operation and demolition.
Proposed measures include creating a database on the carbon footprint of building materials, implementing a green procurement policy, integrating NZCRB principles into urban planning and city master plans and improving infrastructure for managing end-of-life building emissions.
In addition to reducing emissions, the plan offers co-benefits such as lower urban heat island effects, better air quality, long-term energy savings, infrastructure efficiency, and local green job creation.
It also recommends forming a dedicated steering committee to oversee implementation and monitor progress.
The initiative comes at a crucial time, as the global building sector accounts for 36% of final energy use and nearly 40% of energy-related CO₂ emissions. In India, buildings and construction contribute about 32% of national greenhouse gas emissions. With urbanisation set to reach 40% by 2036, cities like Thiruvananthapuram face growing pressures to plan sustainably.
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