Latest news with #Mirpuri
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Sustainability should be a foundational element, integrated from the project's inception: Haresh Mirpuri
Haresh Mirpuri , a second-generation entrepreneur and the founder of Essensai067 believes sustainable architecture should be something that harmonises with the community and environment. With Essensai067, a 5.16-acre sustainable retail development in Bangalore, Mirpuri says the space has been designed as a community-focussed retail enclave that integrates solar energy, rainwater harvesting , and organic waste conversion into its infrastructure, proving that retail can be regenerative. In a conversation with ETDigital, Mirpuri talks about critical design principles in sustainable architecture, how a building can be truly net-zero and the need to find a balance between the cost of a project and protecting the environment. Edited excerpts. Economic Times (ET): What does a 'sustainable building' mean to you beyond the technical certifications like LEED or IGBC? Haresh Mirpuri (HM): A sustainable building transcends certifications. It's about creating spaces that harmonise with their environment and community. At Essensai067, sustainability is integrated into every facet, from repurposing excavated soil into low-carbon earth blocks to achieving net-zero water discharge through advanced recycling systems. It's about designing buildings that are not only environmentally responsible but also culturally and socially enriching. ET: How can architecture shape behaviour toward more sustainable living? HM: Architecture can subtly guide occupants toward sustainability by embedding eco-friendly practices into the design. At Essensai067, passive cooling systems, ample natural lighting, and strategic spatial layouts reduce the need for artificial energy sources, thereby nudging occupants towards more conscious energy usage. Thoughtfully placed green spaces and visible sustainability features, such as water recycling systems and solar power panels, reinforce occupants' awareness and encourage environmentally responsible behaviours through everyday interactions with their built environment. ET: What are the most critical design principles for creating a truly sustainable building? HM: One of our core principles was climate-responsive architecture—our buildings are oriented and designed to harness natural light, cross-ventilation, and passive cooling, reducing the need for artificial systems. We prioritised material circularity, using low-carbon earth blocks made from excavated soil and reusing construction waste wherever possible. Water sustainability was equally vital, achieved through rainwater harvesting, zero water discharge, and full recycling of grey and black water. Flexibility and longevity were also built into the design, ensuring the spaces can adapt to evolving needs without demolition or waste. Most importantly, we designed with the conviction that sustainability is not a feature—it's the foundation. Every line drawn and brick laid reflects that belief. Live Events ET: How early in the planning process should sustainability considerations be introduced? HM: Sustainability should be a foundational element, integrated from the project's inception. Early planning allows for the incorporation of site-specific strategies, such as optimal building orientation for solar gain or the preservation of natural landscapes, ensuring that sustainability is not an afterthought but a guiding principle. ET: How do you balance sustainability with aesthetics and functionality? HM: Sustainability, aesthetics, and functionality are not mutually exclusive; they can complement each other. At Essensai067, the use of low-carbon earth blocks made from excavated soil and steel beams not only reduces environmental impact but also contributes to the site's unique visual identity. ET: What are some innovative or traditional materials that support low-carbon construction? HM : One of the most innovative materials we used was low-carbon earth blocks made from the site's own excavated sand—this not only reduced transportation emissions but also cut embodied energy by nearly 30% compared to conventional concrete blocks. We also reused structural elements from the existing spinning mill, preserving embodied carbon and reducing new material demand. ET: You have recently opened Essensai067. How does the building integrate climate-responsive architecture, solar energy, and water reuse systems? What were the biggest challenges in achieving net-zero energy and water goals in an urban Indian context? HM: At Essensai067, we approached sustainability through an integrated lens, beginning with climate-responsive architecture. The building orientation, spatial layout, and material choices were all designed to reduce dependency on mechanical cooling. Passive strategies like high ceilings, natural ventilation, and thermal mass help maintain indoor comfort with minimal energy use. We've installed a substantial solar energy system that offsets a significant portion of our power needs. The facility harnesses over 750 kW of solar energy. On the water front, we've implemented rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, and blackwater treatment, achieving zero water discharge from the site. One of the biggest challenges was adapting these systems to an urban Indian context, where infrastructure constraints and unpredictable regulatory processes can delay implementation. Retrofitting sustainable solutions into a former industrial site also required creative problem-solving to balance heritage, aesthetics, and function—without compromising environmental integrity. ET: With over 100 of 120 trees preserved or transplanted during construction, how did ecological preservation influence the design and layout of the site? HM: Ecological preservation was central to Essensai067's design philosophy. The existing trees were not obstacles, but integral elements that influenced building placement and orientation. This approach not only maintained the site's biodiversity but also enhanced the microclimate, contributing to the building's passive cooling strategy. ET: Can a building be truly net-zero in a dense urban setting? HM: Achieving true net-zero status in a dense urban setting is extremely challenging—but not impossible. It requires a convergence of smart design, advanced technology, and long-term operational discipline. In cities like Bengaluru , constraints such as limited space for solar panels, inconsistent municipal infrastructure, and high energy demands make full net-zero difficult to realize. At Essensai067, while we've significantly reduced our environmental footprint through climate-responsive architecture, water recycling systems, and on-site solar generation, we also acknowledge the limitations of our urban context. Our goal is to get as close to net-zero impact as possible—not just in energy and water use, but in how we build, operate, and engage with the surrounding ecosystem. ET: How do you address the perception that sustainable buildings are more expensive to build? HM: While initial costs may be higher, sustainable buildings offer long-term savings through reduced energy and water bills. Moreover, they provide intangible benefits like improved occupant well-being and environmental stewardship. At Essensai067, the investment in sustainability has resulted in a space that is not only cost-effective over time but also aligns with our commitment to responsible development. ET: You have another business called Aranyani, which is into luxury handbags. It emphasises craftsmanship with techniques like hand embroidery, gemstone setting, and 24-karat gold gilding. How do you reconcile such opulence with your commitment to sustainability? HM: Aranyani embodies the philosophy of 'responsible luxury.' Aranyani sources leather only from tanneries that practice wastewater detoxification and recycling. It has actively worked on transitioning towards chrome-free, vegetable-dyed leathers and avoiding exotic leathers entirely, using hides from animals only raised for meat. The company has also implemented efficient cutting techniques to reduce material waste. These practices are part of Aranyani's broader mission to eliminate hazardous materials and become zero-waste by 2026 ET: Looking ahead, how do you envision the role of spaces like Essensai067 and brands like Aranyani in promoting sustainability and cultural richness in urban India? HM: Spaces like Essensai067 and brands like Aranyani serve as beacons for a future where sustainability and cultural heritage coexist. They demonstrate that urban development can honour traditional craftsmanship, foster community engagement, and prioritise environmental responsibility. By setting such examples, we hope to inspire a broader movement towards sustainable living that is deeply rooted in cultural appreciation.
CNBC
07-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Why Indian markets are undeterred by strikes against Pakistan
Pakistani soldiers take security measures around the city as the people panic during blackout after India launches strikes on Pakistan, in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Investors are sticking with the India story, with optimism on its growth prospects dwarfing geopolitical fears. Indian markets shrugged off the latest tensions with Islamabad after New Delhi struck several targets within territory controlled by Pakistan in a military operation early Wednesday. "Structural reforms, resilient domestic demand, and strong macro fundamentals continue to offer a compelling case," said Mohit Mirpuri, an equity fund manager at SGMC Capital. "Investors may take a momentary pause, but this doesn't derail India's trajectory as a key allocation in emerging markets," added Mirpuri. Markets also appeared to be drawing support from the progress on India's trade talks with major trading partners, including a free trade agreement with the U.K. sealed Tuesday. The country is expected to be among the first in the region to strike a bilateral trade deal with the U.S., potentially before the third quarter of 2025, said Radhika Rao, a Singapore-based senior economist at DBS Bank. "We believe Indian assets will remain fairly contained despite the increase in geopolitical tensions with Pakistan," said Johanna Chua, global head of emerging market economics at Citi, in a note to clients shortly after India carried out the strikes. Chua said there were historical precedents for her team's views and pointed to investors' reaction in 2019, in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack where 40 Indian security personnel were killed in an ambush. Currency markets were "fairly contained" and 10-year Indian government bond yields traded within a range of 15 basis points despite an election year and interest rate cutting environment. While anticipating some knee-jerk market reaction, investors are hopeful for a swift de-escalation that could limit the fallout. Indian shares traded nearly flat in the wake of the military operation, having declined in the previous session. The benchmark Nifty 50 and the BSE Sensex were little changed, signaling investors so far were not perturbed by tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries. Though experts did not rule out a sharper market impact if the conflict escalated. Indian equities could still see some volatility over the near term with downside risks, followed by a gradual recovery, said Kranthi Bathini, director of equity strategy at WealthMills Securities. "The key question is whether this turns into a full-fledged conflict or remains a limited defense strike," Bathini said. "A wider escalation could dent investor sentiment, while a contained response may barely leave a mark on the markets, he said. The rupee weakened 0.33% to 84.562 against the greenback amid a broader depreciation across Asian currencies, though it was still hovering near three-month highs. Yield on Indian 10-year benchmark government bonds was marginally lower at 6.339%. Get a weekly roundup of news from India in your inbox every Thursday. Subscribe now "While the latest exchange of fire has been much more aggressive than the previous episode in 2019, we still think it will end in de-escalation over the coming months." Darren Tay, head of APAC Country Risk at BMP said, adding that investors should remain generally bullish on India. However, others cautioned that the current environment is significantly more intense than the 2019 attacks. "The situation on the border remains quite fluid. The scope and scale of India's military action this time around is far greater than in 2016 or 2019. That, in turn, suggests Pakistan will feel more compelled than before to mount a "proportionate" response," Tom Miller and Udith Sikand, senior analysts at Gavekal told CNBC. "Having said that, the muted reaction of Indian asset prices to events overnight suggest investors don't expect an endless cycle of military retaliation," they added. India's operation follows a militant attack last month in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed.
Business Recorder
28-04-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Asian currencies down against dollar
BENGALURU: Emerging Asian equity markets opened the week higher on Monday, led by Taiwan tracking Wall Street gains, while Indonesian shares rose on strength in banking stocks. Most stock markets in the region were upbeat as an easing of trade tensions between the United States and China helped stir an appetite for risk among investors. Shares in Malaysia, Thailand and India added 0.7%, 0.1% and 1.3% respectively. 'After a period of correction, ASEAN equities are showing upward momentum, having broken out of a technical downtrend that began from the 2017 high(the first technical breakout occurred in 2024),' said Mohit Mirpuri, an equity fund manager at Singapore-based SGMC Capital. Attractive valuations, a weaker US dollar, steady growth prospects in Asia and relatively light investor positioning create the right conditions for investors to start moving back into risk assets, Mirpuri added. Equities in Taipei surged 0.8%, reflecting a strong lead from gains in technology and artificial intelligence-related stocks in the US The Indonesian benchmark index rose 0.7% to hit its highest since February, powered by major gains in large-cap lenders - Bank Central Asia, Bank Mandiri and Bank Rakyat Indonesia. Bank Central Asia, Indonesia's largest lender, reported strong first-quarter earnings last week and set a positive tone for its rivals, who are scheduled to release their results later this week. In Thailand, the local central bank is set to meet on Wednesday for its monetary policy decision, where Poon Panichpibool, markets strategist at Krung Thai Bank, expects a cut. The Thai baht was trading 0.4% lower against a steady US dollar. If the central bank can decide to hold for now, we could see some profits taking on the Thai bonds and that could be somewhat negative on the baht,' added Panichpibool. Currencies across emerging Asia were trading tepidly against a steady US dollar as investors awaited more cues on the future trajectory of trade talks between the world's two largest economies. Despite US President Donald Trump's claims of progress on trade negotiations with China and other countries, concrete evidence remains scarce. On Sunday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent declined to support Trump's assertion that tariff talks with China had begun. The week is also packed with economic news including US employment, gross domestic product and core inflation.
Telegraph
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Taxpayers spend £8m a year on interpreters for benefits claimants
The Department for Work and Pensions is spending £8 million a year on translators for nearly 90 different languages, some of which are spoken by fewer than a million people worldwide. The DWP is paying out an average of £250 per call to give advice to non-English speaking benefits claimants. According to DWP data, that includes 44 calls in the past three years to provide translation services for those who spoke Mirpuri, a dialect of the Pahari-Pothwari language from Pakistan and India. It is used by an estimated 500,000 people. The figures show that translation was also needed for two calls where the claimants spoke Bassa, a Kru language used by 800,000 people in Liberia, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone. There have been 92,240 video, phone or face-to-face sessions to date under the three-year, £23.1 million contract for translation services for 88 different languages provided to the DWP, according to the data. The DWP said the £23.1 million included video remote services and British Sign Language, where it was required in 2,600 calls – including for its own staff. Neil O'Brien, a former health minister who obtained the information through parliamentary questions, said it raised the issue of why the UK was providing benefits to people who could not speak English. 'From schools and hospitals to welfare, the Government now spends significant sums of money on translation and interpretation,' he said. 'The sheer range of different languages shows the challenges of managing a hyper-multicultural society. 'Some people who have paid in all their lives and got little back might ask, why are we giving benefits to people who can't even speak English? This data also shows that some groups do much better than others at integrating. In general, migrants from developed and culturally similar countries are far less likely to need translation, or even rely on benefits in the first place.' Many European languages such as German, Croatian, Slovenian, Serbian, French, Italian and Greek have lower numbers of calls for translation services. However, Romanian, with 11,706 calls, comes second, beaten only by Arabic which tops the table with 12,819 calls. They are followed by Farsi (5,741), Polish (5,725), Kurdish Sorani (5,612), Urdu (4,424), Ukrainian (4,422), Bengali (3,657), Bulgarian (3,228) and Slovak (3,077). One of the less widely spoken languages – Tigrinya, an Ethio-Semitic language common to Eritrea and Ethiopia's northern Tigray region – is the 11th most commonly requested translation service. It recorded 3,027 calls. Other rarer languages registered for calls include Twi, spoken by around 4.4 million people in Ghana; Senufo, spoken on the northern Ivory coast of Africa by some 1.5 million people; Kassonke, spoken by around 2.5 million people in and around Mali, and Bambara, from west Africa and spoken by around five million people. The DWP has said it will begin publishing data held on the number of Universal Credit-claiming households with non-UK citizens, along with data on the number of refugees claiming the benefit. The Government employs interpretation contractors at job centres and via video and phone calls. A DWP spokesman said: 'We support millions of people through Universal Credit payments every year, with only two per cent of hundreds of millions of calls to the department requiring an interpreter in 2024 and clear rules on who qualifies for support.' Rupert Lowe, the Reform MP who asked the Government to disclose the number of interpreted DWP calls, has called for the department to scrap all foreign language interpretation services. He said: 'Evidently, we are allowing too many low-skilled migrants into our country who are incapable of supporting themselves.'
BBC News
18-02-2025
- BBC News
Former West Yorkshire Police officer jailed for driving offences
A former West Yorkshire Police officer has been jailed after admitting driving Abdul Iqbal, who worked in the Kirklees district as a student officer, was arrested on suspicion of drink driving in Wakefield on 15 May. The 29-year-old, of Russell Street, Dewsbury, was seen exiting the driver's side of a damaged vehicle after a minor collision but sent a message to his friend asking them to say they were Bradford Crown Court today, Iqbal was sentenced to four months in prison for three offences and was disqualified from driving for 12 months. As well as pleading guilty to drink driving, he admitted perverting the course of justice and failing to provide information at an earlier were called to Denby Dale Road just after 03:30 BST, where they found a Kia Ceed with damage to its wheel consistent with hitting a was seen to get out of the driver's side and referred to himself driving to officers. When asked if he had been drinking, he started speaking to his friend in the Mirpuri dialect and was witnessed sending a message on his phone that read, "tell them you were driving".He was breathalysed at the roadside before providing an evidential reading of 66mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath - almost double the legal independent interpreter later translated what Iqbal had said to his friend at the roadside in Mirpuri. He had told his friend to tell the police he was driving and also made comments about being "finished". 'Tried to avoid justice' After the sentencing, Det Ch Supt Tanya Wilkins said: "We regularly warn people of the dangers of driving under the influence."This former officer has not only put himself and other roads users at risk but has then tried to avoid justice by attempting to get someone else to take the blame for his actions."The public quite rightly expect our officers to behave ethically, acting with honesty and integrity. "She confirmed Iqbal was still in his probationary period as a student officer, so was dismissed on the grounds he would "not become an efficient and well-conducted constable".Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
