WSDS 2024: Sustainable Buildings Division conducts a track on "Sustainable Skylines: Enabling Tomorrow's Architecture with a Web-Based Knowledge Hub on Advanced Building Materials and Energy-Efficient Design”
The event convened as a part of the World Sustainability Development Summit 2024, on February 8th, 2024, at India Habitat Centre's Jacaranda-1 Hall, from 1400 hrs to 1530 hrs (IST). WSDS is the only independently convened international Summit on sustainable development and environment, based in the Global South. The thematic track event brought together a consortium of visionaries and experts committed to shaping the future of architecture with sustainability at its core. Themed "Enabling Tomorrow's Architecture," the summit served as a catalyst for transformative dialogue and collaborative initiatives aimed at redefining urban landscapes for a more sustainable tomorrow. Central to the discourse was the unveiling of a cutting-edge Web-Based Knowledge Hub focused on Advanced Building in collaboration with Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India.
The proceedings included a demonstration of the A2K+ portal, showcasing advanced building materials and designs for energy-efficient buildings. The portal, demonstrated by Tarishi Kaushik, Associate Fellow at TERI, provides a comprehensive platform for research, journals, case studies, and expert forums aimed at empowering stakeholders with knowledge and fostering conscious sustainable choices for a resilient built environment in the future.
Featuring an illustrious lineup of speakers, including Mr. Sanjay Seth, Senior Director of the Sustainable Infrastructure Programme at TERI and Vice President & CEO of the GRIHA Council, and keynote speaker Mr. P. Mudalige, Director-General (Planning) at the Ministry of Environment, Sri Lanka who highlighted the need to collaborate between nations to pave the way for transformative change in the built environment sector in the South Asian region. Other notable dignitaries on the panel included:
Mr Jiwesh Nandan, IAS, Distinguished Fellow, TERI, who highlighted the need for platforms like A2k+ showcased in the event, to combat the 30% of carbon emissions by the built sector.
Dr Vandana Kalia, Scientist ‘F’ and Member Secretary A2K+ Studies, Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, emphasized the need for collaboration between multiple governing and research bodies to ensure the implementation of such measures.
Mr Santhosh Muzumdar, Director of Government Relations and Sustainability Johnson Controls, reiterated the need for digitization of the process of monitoring for systematic decarbonization of buildings, therefore cities.
Ms Shabnam Bassi, Director, Sustainable Buildings Division, TERI, and Deputy CEO-cum-Secretary, GRIHA Council, shared the people's voice in the need for platforms with credible information to make informed choices.