CREDAI signs MoU with ‘Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy’ for Promoting Net Zero Buildings Across India

CREDAI (Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India) has entered into a strategic partnership with AEEE (Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy) to promote the design and construction of Net-zero buildings in India. This collaboration aims to exchange knowledge and build capacity among industry stakeholders to achieve sustainability goals.

The partnership seeks to facilitate the crossflow of knowledge and experiences and implement best practices by leveraging the expertise and resources of both organisations. The goal is to develop initiatives and market transformation strategies that enhance energy efficiency, climate resilience, and sustainability in the Indian building and construction sector.

A significant focus of the collaboration between CREDAI and AEEE will be on the Solar Decathlon India (SDI), the world’s largest Net Zero Building Challenge for the youth from Indian institutions. SDI is conducted by AEEE and IIHS, under the aegis of IUSSTF.

SDI aims to equip students with the skills to design net-zero energy-water, affordable, healthy, and resilient building solutions for real projects, and they will closely work with CREDAI’s member developers for comprehensive adoption of sustainable methods. CREDAI will also support student teams in developing industry-ready solutions for various building types, aided by self-learning modules and expert mentorship.

This partnership will create new opportunities for the next generation of developers and leaders, as well as the construction industry, by providing access to Net Zero design solutions proposed by students. CREDAI will also offer mentorship and guidance to SDI student teams through its experts and will act as an outreach affiliate of SDI. Additionally, to power green initiatives in the country, CREDAI has previously pledged to certify 1 lakh homes and 25 million square feet of commercial real estate with green building certifications annually, as part of their adoption of green building practices and technologies. The body has also taken a number of initiatives to encourage its members to make use of new technologies and sustainable materials as a part of their projects.

Boman Irani, National President, CREDAI, stated, "Today, we stand at the cusp of an extremely important junction characterized by climate change and the need for the real estate industry to pivot towards more sustainable means of construction and energy consumption. CREDAI’s collaboration with AEEE is another important step in inculcating a strong culture of sustainable development as we strive to build net zero buildings across India, as a part of our overarching objective of real estate becoming a net zero industry by 2050.”

Announcing the MoU at the SDI Finals event in Mysuru, Satish Kumar, President and Executive Director, AEEE, said, "We are excited to collaborate with CREDAI to promote Net Zero buildings through Solar Decathlon India. This partnership will not only empower students with practical experience but also facilitate the implementation of innovative, sustainable solutions in real projects. Together, we can make a substantial impact by providing opportunities and encouraging more students and stakeholders to join this revolution."

This collaboration marks a pivotal moment in India's push towards a sustainable built environment.