The Green Initiative

Assessed at Rs. 4000 billion, or $100 billion, the Indian construction market is behind  only to that of the USA and China. Government spending, private investments as well as FDI have made India one of the top ten spending nations on construction in the world. The twelfth five year plans project an investment of 10% of the national GDP into infrastructure, which is almost $1 trillion. This only makes it all the more imperative for builders to start looking at better ways to implement and adhere to green initiatives and rules. Buildings account for 30-40% of the energy usage in the country. To counter this the GOI, Government of India, has come up with various energy efficient initiatives like Green Buildings by Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), Energy Conservation Building Codes (ECBC), Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA), Star ratings by Bureau of Energy Efficiency among others to ensure more implementation of green technologies in buildings.

Wastage in the construction industry has often been the biggest Achilles heel for this industry, it is as high as 30%. At current valuation we are talking about an attrition of almost $27 billion. This is a large, but relatively easy challenge to tackle. This absorbs a lot of resources, man hours and materials but creates absolutely no value. Developed countries have forums to address this wastage and embrace lean construction practices. Lean construction is a way to design production systems to minimize waste of materials, time and efforts in order to generate maximum possible value. Despite many steps being taken in this direction, India does not have  fully focused lean construction form.

Use of fly ash and cement substitutes – Studies have gone on to show that by 2020 the economically viable stocks of prospectable limestone are going to get scarce. India has a good availability of products like fly ash and GGBFS, India produces up to 130 million tons of fly ash out of which only 35-40% is used. More use of this byproduct can go a long way in cutting the use of cement.

Use manufactured sand – Aggregate scarcity is one of the biggest concerns of the industry today. Strict dredging laws from various local authorities about taking sea sand as well as river sand keeping in mind the environmental concerns have choked this market. In many places around the country, especially in the northern Gangetic plain, sand is easily available, but it is not usually the coarse aggregate that are necessary for a good mix. The answer is to use manufactured sand artificially produced from rocks using a vertical shaft impactor (VSI). This type of sand has little to no organic or inorganic impurities.

Energy conservation – Use of smart lighting initiatives also helps in keeping the carbon footprint of the building down. Efficient use of daylighting and LED lighting helps.

Demolition and recycling – One of the biggest challenges of this industry is to utilize the materials that comes out  of demolitions for construction.

The Right Road to Development

One of the biggest requirements of any city is a well-planned and more importantly, well-made road network. Unfortunately, in most cities around the country, just like Pune, a single heavy bout of rain is all it takes to undo months of road building labour.

A lot has been said about the more than ten foot wide potholes that come springing up during the monsoon. Journalists have gone on camera with measuring tapes, as if any more proof was necessary, to point out some of the more massive craters. But in an effort to change this outlook the state government is taking strong steps to ensure a well-maintained network of roads.

A rough ride

One of the biggest challenges for the new Maharashtra government is to ensure that up and coming cities like Pune do not lack in the basic infrastructure. Having seen abundant investment, Pune was always a prime student destination, it now can also boast of an IT industry competing that of Bangalore. But once again, it is the basic infrastructure that holds this vibrant city back from fully achieving its investment potential.

Public transport, already a nightmare in the city, becomes an even bigger hassle on account of clogged roads and badly planned exits. One of the biggest refrains of visitors to the city has been the condition of the roads, providing an almost derbyesque bounce in some patches.

Vehicles plying on the roads increase

Statistics indicate that Pune has the highest number of households in the state using two-wheelers. More than 23 lakh privately owned vehicles are plying the city streets, in a situation like this if the roads are not planned properly or not made correctly, problems are bound to arise. 

 The city has also planned to increase the bicycle connectivity of the roads. This will help greatly in student-heavy areas of the city. Some of the best cities in the world have a beautifully planned pedestrian paths and bicycle lanes. Pune definitely needs to take a leaf out of their book in order to better its road network.

One of the biggest drawbacks of the city streets are not just the conditions they are in, but also the massive amount of illegal vehicles and animals that abound on them. Add to the chaos the high number of cars, two-wheelers and public transport vehicles and you have on your hands a logistical nightmare. This is compounded by encroached footpaths and underpasses which often become bottlenecks at peak hours.

Road to the future

 

However, not all is lost. With renewed interest in clearing up the city roads, the state government and city officials are taking steps towards remedying the state of the roads. According to reports, four six-lane roads are being constructed in the city, and out of the twelve planned arterial roads, construction of eight has already been concluded. Developing areas are especially under the limelight owing the high amount of investment they are attracting in terms of property and corporate interest.

All said and done, Pune has one of the better established and maintained road networks among Indian cities and requires just more attention to detail to remain in ship shape. The city officials have also hired the help of professional designers so as to spruce up the drab looks of a few key roads. If the plans fall into place, it is without doubt that a couple of more years and Pune will have one of the best roads in the country.

Property shows – Bringing the mountain to Muhammad

 

One of the best ways to promote freshly constructed property directly to end users is property shows. Each city has its own share happening these days, providing buyers an array of choices and the real estate companies a chance to make a big pitch in a short span of time. Property shows can be anything from a three day affair to weeklong exhibitions where real estate companies, builders and real estate agents from city and various parts of the country gather.

Perfect way to cater to the NRI market

One of the biggest markets for builders lies among the Non Resident Indians, who are always looking for investing back in their original city/state of residence. Property shows targeting them are often scheduled in December or January, keeping in mind their presence in the country.

Their property of choice ranges from apartments, penthouses, and farmhouses, depending on their spending capacity and preference. Weekend homes are a rising choice of investment. Property shows give real estate agency the perfect opportunity to advertise their various amenities and schemes, and help provide a direct contrast with the competitors.

Organizers have also begun setting up property shows in cities in the US, Australia and Singapore, with a higher concentration of Indian population to better cater to this segment. These property shows are the best way to meet prospective customers and convert them for real estate companies.

Creating the right first impression

Property shows are the perfect setting for promoting property away from home. Builders from various cities throng shows in hopes of finding takers for the various investment opportunities property affords. With the property markets seeing a huge upswing on both the personal and commercial property front, builders are exploring different sales avenues to consolidate their gains.

Property shows allow builders and real estate companies to meet their clients directly, inform them of the various benefits of buying property with them. It allows for that much needed personal touch, many companies also go to these shows armed well with an audio visual presentation of the property along well made brochures and flyers so as to make the best possible impact. Stalls at these shows reflect the individuality of the company and are often designed at great expense and with considerable attention to detail all in an effort to create the best first impression possible.

Reaching out to the customer 

Elite properties often have a very selected customer base, and it is this base that is most effectively targeted thanks to property shows. It works for the benefit of both, the real estate companies as well as the buyers, providing the former with a ready customer base and the latter with a selection of prime property.