Page 11 - ICJ-March-2021

INTERACTIONS

EDUCATE-BUILD-INTEGRATE

Question 1: Compared to Global Initiatives, how would you
benchmark the status of sustainability initiatives in India?
Answer: India’s increasing participation in Global
sustainability initiatives and ratings is providing some impetus Satish Kumar Sharma
– however we have a long way to go. India’s global sustainable
Question 4: What are some of the typical challenges that you
competitiveness index rank of 127 and The Environmental
foresee in India while implementing sustainable construction?
Performance Index rank of 168 speaks much about it. With much
of learning and experience readily available from sustainably Answer: Lack of awareness about sustainability is an
better geographies, India needs to not only start contextualizing important impeding factor. The know-how about sustainability in
available solutions, but also aggressively start promoting general and how to apply the principles to reap immediate and
local innovation. The Government of India is definitely taking long-term benefits is seminal. While our educational institutions
initiatives in these directions. There is however a need to have are gradually teaching the principles of sustainable living, there
an approach that integrates intellectual-natural-social capital is an intense need to educate and train the promoters, clients,
with resource efficiency. Myopically or contextually addressing government organizations, designers and contractors about
sustainability may lead to unanticipated challenges in the future. these principles. We need to spend good effort on knowledge-
Hence, holistic integration is thus a key. building and then derive utmost benefit by synchronized
integration from all stakeholders.
Question 2: Are you seeing any sustainability trends impacting
Question 5: What are some of the initiatives that the concrete
the construction business in India?
construction fraternity needs to immediately implement for
Answer: Yes, as corporate organizations, we are moving
achieving sustainable development?
towards integrated reporting at global level. As a nation,
Answer:
we have started implementing longer design life in some
important projects. Few of the material manufacturers are • Educate and train rigorously all the stakeholders
progressing towards zero carbon emissions, the green building • Bring holistic approach: Always be considerate about the
rating systems are taking roots. The use of supplementary triple bottom line of sustainability viz. social-economic-
cementitious materials and alternate materials is very slowly environmental; rank, select and implement projects based
increasing. on holistic long-term indices and not just on technical and/
or financial considerations. It is vital to move the policy
Question 3: As a leader, how do you view your organisation’s
framework in these directions as well
obligations to sustainability?
• Integration: From concept to commissioning be involved in
Answer: For any designer and engineering consultant, sustainability planning, implementation and monitoring
sustainability is the prime goal, even if it is getting fulfilled
with additional resources i.e. cost and time. Until the product • Balanced flexibility: Introduce regulated flexibility in design
is perceived beyond the limited sustainability the essence of and construction specifications while balancing increasing
conceptualization and detailing can’t excel. As a professional, design life with available local construction materials
as the obligation for safety, constructability, and durability, etc. • Build, but maintain as well: Invest in maintenance of
is considered as a basic criteria similarly sustainability has to be construction facilities and structures
treated as a skeleton. • Reward and penalize for innovation based on sustainability

SATISH KUMAR SHARMA a Chartered Civil Engineer and Alumnae of Kamla Nehru Institute of Technology (KNIT)
Sultanpur and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, is currently working as Chief Executive Officer of M/s Rodic Consultants Pvt.
Ltd. He has vast experience in planning, designing and implementation of mega infra and power projects. Prior to his current tenure
he has worked in HCC, Jaiprakash Associates Ltd., Lahmeyer International, Tata Consulting Engineers in lead role. He is also on various
boards/bodies of Government of India, involved in policy making and standardization.

THE INDIAN CONCRETE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 11