The latest reports on climate change in India are alarming. The forecast is that it will create a major increase in temperatures and water shortage around the world. Climate changes in India are profoundly total, creating ripple effects across sectors. This is not just an environmental challenge, but a national emergency not to be ignored with is ingrained in urban planning, engineering, and public policy. For planners and engineers in the construction sector rising to these challenges is going to be a massive effort. This is a battle against time, not just to build infrastructure, but to build it sustainably.

One of the challenges is using sustainable, ecofriendly and sustainable building methods which is the need of the hour. When are sustainable practices to be introduced? Are they considered expensive or not workable? Policy alone will not help sustainability scale through, but it will scale through decisions taken considering the present circumstances.

The conversation around sustainable construction in India has been ongoing for years. It has to be scaled through the common will of the public, the private sector and individuals. We Indians cannot remain disengaged but should be pro-active to protect our own selves and our future generations. Citizen participation to support the government is needed to build sustainable solutions.