World Earth Day: How Developers Are Bringing Sustainability to Real Estate

An annual celebration that honours the achievements of environmental movements while raising consciousness to conserve natural resources for future generations, World Earth Day falls on the 22nd of April. From its inception in 1970, the campaign has resulted in policy changes and made the world more sensitive about its cause. 

Having laid its foundation on 22nd April 1970 in the United States, World Earth Day soon became a worldwide event. It united an estimated 200 million people to encourage environmental conservation and promote reduction, reuse, and recycling practices. According to a study of Earth Day Network, close to 1 billion people participate each year in over 192 countries. 

It all began when a junior senator named Gaylord Nelson started educating college students about the dangers of air and water pollution in 1969. Congressman Pete McCloskey and activist Denis Hayes joined the senator, organising teach-ins across the United States on 22nd April. The first Earth Day caused a massive impact, stemming the seed for the Environmental Protection Agency, which helped formulate several environmental laws, such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. 

Speaking of World Earth Day, various industries have evolved when it comes to adopting sustainable practices, one of them being the real estate sector, which is among the largest consumers of energy and resources. The realty and construction businesses consume 40% of the earth’s resources and 30% of its energy while also being one of the prime sources of demolition waste and greenhouse gas emissions. 

Amid these challenges, sustainable architecture has emerged as a critical component today. One of the fastest-growing economies, India has undergone significant development changes over the last decade. Nonetheless, the town planners and developers have done a commendable job of adding to the physical infrastructure, with the Government keeping a close eye on environmental sustainability and introducing policies to control factors such as pollution. 

Listed below are some trends and practices bringing sustainability to real estate. 

1. The World Green Building Initiative

An annual initiative that kicked off in 2021 received much attention, with sustainability initiatives increasing by as much as 60%. More than 19 countries have recently adopted these practices, creating a higher impact. Here are some upsides to the movement, especially in commercial spaces.

• Green buildings created an estimated reduction of 10.5% in operating costs in its first year itself and a 16.9% savings over the next five years. 
• With current buildings upgrading themselves, there was a reduction in global operating costs as green renovations stood at 11.5% and retrofit at 17%. 
• In a bid to control embodied carbon emissions, properties reached a net-zero/net-positive energy target. 

2. Developers using environmentally friendly material

The benefits of green building practices have influenced developers to use eco-friendly materials in their construction, a healthy alternative to age-old techniques. For example, red clay bricks are substituted with fly ash bricks. Rice husk ash concrete is used as an admixture for producing concrete, given its high durability. Another alternative is plastic bricks, courtesy of their load-bearing capacity and bamboo for flooring, given their sturdiness and fire-resistant properties. 

3. Building Automation System (BAS)

Applying a computerised building automation system helps monitor and control the critical systems in your building, increasing energy efficiency. Implementing the BAS can help you decide on property operations and other energy reduction practices. BAS can handle the heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting systems. 

4. Thermal and moisture protection

These refer to the materials used to seal the exterior of a building, shileding it from moisture, thermal, and penetration of air. Listed below are some examples of thermal and moisture protection. 

• Waterproofing
• Dampproofing 
• Air retarders
• Vapour retarders
• Fireproofing
• Insulation and joint sealers

The protection acts as a barrier, helping to increase energy savings, along with noise reduction, climate control, and fire protection.

5. Waste Management 

Many cases suggest that construction activities generate a lot of wastage. Hence, builders are changing the course of dumping wastes in landfills and incinerators by reusing or recycling the debris and researching the best way to minimise wastage costs using techniques such as composting and recycling. Some construction and demolition materials can be reused, recycled, or repurchased, with the following examples.

• Glass
• Bricks
• Concrete
• Wood
• Gypsum
• Metals
• Plastic
• Asphalt

6. Space design and integration

When considering a green design, one tends to ignore the layout or function of the interior building spaces. However, developers today believe in the optimal utilisation of floor spaces. The builders and commercial real estate investors must develop projects to create flexible spaces for offices, that will include sit/stand workstations, lounge (waiting areas), and meeting rooms for accommodating a co-working dynamic. The recent flexi space approach, caused a surge in demand of mixed-use buildings.

Final thoughts

Sustainability remains a priority among builders, with the changing real estate landscape. This not only helps increase the goodwill of developers but also helps boost sales, given consumers today are more aware than ever.