Sustainable Built Environment

With the growing focus on sustainability and resilience, it is imperative and important to evaluate the readiness of higher education institutions (HEIs) in this field. The curriculums are the foundation of academic learning and practical experiences in higher education. It is required to include sustainability and resiliency related courses as part of curriculum for a future ready academic framework. In order to develop and design new courses, the reconnaissance of existing curriculum system has to be carried out to understand the current state of course offerings in context of sustainability and resiliency. With increasing number of universities, institutions and courses across the globe, manual review of the existing system is not feasible. Considering the advances in data analytics technology, this study proposes an automated framework for evaluating the curriculums of HEIs. An automated web crawler-based tool was developed using open-source python as coding language and google colab as the developing and testing platform. The automation framework was developed using four step approach—(a) Preparation of the training dataset using course catalogue websites of the selected universities, (b) Identification of the patterns of course information arrangement across different websites and developing algorithms for scraping the course related data from catalogue web page (c) Normalization of web response from catalogue web pages of different universities to list down the set of common information available across most of the catalogue information. This information formed the base for the schema designed for the extraction of course related data. (d) Automated framework was developed and validated. This tool can read the contents of course catalogue from the website of universities and further perform data collection and analysis of the courses. The system was developed for a subset of universities in United States. The data so collected from the automated system can be further analysed using computational method of text analytics and keyword ontology. As a final outcome, this tool lists the courses in the area of sustainability and resilience and provides insight into the type of the courses. This outcome can be effectively used to identify the gap and thus preparing the list of courses to be developed and designed for an efficient and future ready curriculum.

Increasingly, researchers are finding and reporting on the critical role of daylight access in human health and well-being. However, the need for visual privacy, controlling direct sun and glare may cause occupants may have to curtail their daylight access from time to time. Existing research has shown that occupants exercise a large degree of control over their home’s energy use. This paper presents results from a field study of homes in Ahmedabad (hot and dry climate) to estimate the degree of control that occupants exercise on daylight levels in their homes. Eleven homes were monitored for a week for daylight levels received in the living room, use of electric lighting, and activities that have been carried out by occupants. Potential interventions (intentional and unintended) by the occupants, such as using curtains and blinds have been treated as occupant behavioral traits that may impede daylight access. The ideal daylight access of homes was estimated using computer simulation and then it was compared to observations in the field study to estimate the reduction in daylight access brought by the occupant(s). This study reveals the extent of trade-offs that occupants have to make for their daylight access and the occupant's comfort in their living rooms.

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste and other inert materials form nearly a third of total municipal solid waste in the country. C&D waste generation and its ineffective disposal is a growing problem across the globe; the difference being the nature of generation and handling of C&D waste, which is country dependent. There are hurdles causing difficulty in managing C&D waste across the globe and specifically in developing countries like India, Where the pace of urbanization is rapid owing to its enormous growth potential and prospects. This article attempts to primarily focus on qualitatively identifying, quantify, and articulate the primary challenges for effective integrated management of C&D waste specifically in urban habitat. Article also attempts to summarize and preset the important experiences, relevant factual data related to C&D waste like quantity, composition, etc., and potential applications for effectively managing C&D waste through the development of construction materials and its role in achieving net zero targets in urban habitat.

The primary goal of UNFCCC–COP 21 was to limit global warming to 1.5–2 °C as agenda 2030; whereas India plans to reduce emission intensity by at least 33%, generate 40% electricity by non-fossil fuel source, and create an additional carbon sink of about 2.5 to 3 bn tons. World Bank report estimates India will need to invest $840 billion over the next 15 years to keep up with rising urban infrastructure demand. Considering the growth potential in construction sector and the focus on environmental sustainability aspect, this article attempts to objectively identify challenges, current scenarios, and opportunities in achieving a net zero carbon-built environment model from the conceptual stage through, costing, planning, design, and execution stages at the macro level.

The present article attempts to identify barriers areas under the primary elements of net zero carbon viz., embodied carbon, operational energy, energy source, and demand response. It also attempts to suggest a methodology that can be considered to ensure data disclosure on carbon emission of construction materials, specifically the EPD. Identify and collaborate with various stakeholders who can meaningfully contribute to the creation, review, and validation of the repository and share database which lists the net carbon emission and carbon factors for the materials and resources used in construction. The potential of circularity in reducing net carbon emissions; development and/or utilization of life cycle analysis tools in construction to achieve sustainability and the requirement of the necessary legal framework in the form of code of practice, guidelines, and/or handbook are also discussed.

Urbanization is associated with the economic success that brings with it strong developmental and environmental changes. However, urban sprawl can often be detrimental to the sustainable development of the cities, due to the resultant urban stress that translates into housing shortages, inadequate facilities, and unhygienic living conditions, adversely affecting the livability, sense of stability, and dignity of the people. Poor living conditions affect the social and mental health and well-being of the masses, thereby affecting the growth and development of the cities and communities. Under the current Affordable Housing policy in India, Economically Weaker Sections, Lower Income Groups, and Middle-Income Groups are the target households covered under the scheme. The study establishes the disparity in living conditions across the three income groups, with the EWS group subjected to adverse living conditions, despite government initiatives. The housing solutions being developed and offered to households are neither consumer-centric nor adequate to promote a decent quality of life. In other words, one kind of informal slum is being replaced by another kind of formal slum. A more sensitive, and user-centric approach is recommended to be integrated into the policy framework to ensure sustainability in the housing sector and achieve UN SDGs, especially SDG 11.

The development of the city is a continuous process and affects the people living in the city. One such city is Varanasi, which is going through a huge city development drive under different schemes like the smart city. This study explores the effect of socio-cultural, technological, and economic factors on the development of the weavers’ community and people involved in allied activities in Varanasi. The city Varanasi is been selected for this study as the city has been well-known for its brocade sarees and silk for ages. The secondary data is been collected through research papers, policy guidelines, and maps. The factors affecting the development of these artisans are then taken through the analysis of this secondary data. To validate these factors in the case of artisans in Varanasi, the documentation of the settlements was done in the selected zone and the actual condition of the textile artisans is studied and represented through drawings. Further, data about socio-cultural, technical, and economic aspects is collected through a questionnaire and its effect on the community's development and sustenance is calculated through p-value. The analysis of this data is concluded that the socio-cultural aspect, technology, and economy affect the sustenance and development of the artisans' communities involved in textile making. Hence, specialized development regulations for these kinds of age-old settlements need to be considered and implemented by considering the specific needs of the textile artisans. This study would further guide the policymakers and planners to consider the social dependency and built requirements of handloom weavers for their community sustenance.

Rapid urbanization brings an enormous challenge to ensure liveable and self-sustained communities over the long term. Any planning intervention that creates solutions, policies, and infrastructure to help communities, will lead to an upward change in the land values. Land value changes are important indicators and provide insights into the economic sustainability of cities. The impact of the proposed interventions is seldom known completely at the time of implementation. The Digital Twin (DT) concept has recently found its applications within the urban realm, with the help of DT, planners will be able to see the future impact of interventions. This article aims to build an argument highlighting the application of the DT approach to understanding the impact of the planning interventions on the local land market. A systematic literature review method is adopted to showcase the use of digital twin technology in urban areas and its potential to generate land value maps. A DT approach shall be able to analyse planning interventions by simulating through lifespan prototypes of urban situations. Through this process, land value upliftment maps will be generated which will help evaluate the viability of planning decisions in achieving the sustainability development goals.

According to UN estimates, by 2050, about 70% of the world's population will live in cities, making cities the primary source of more than 80% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with transportation accounting for 25% of these emissions, the built environment for 32%, and municipal solid waste for 5%. These factors lead to climate change and environmental degradation further adding pressure on city infrastructure such as urban water supply, sewage, solid waste management, and urban heat island effects, among others. This paper presents an overview of Critical Aspects of Sustainable Cities and Government Initiatives for Sustainable Development in India.

Inside the meandering labyrinth of long lanes in Purani Dilli (Old Delhi), as it is fondly called, thrive these age-old vernacular economies. These are indigenous, inherent and local, making it the ubiquitous hub of the wholesale market of entire south-east Asia. The local churiwala (bangle seller), lehngawale (traditional full-length skirt seller), hakim/vaid (local therapist), pansari (grocer) are thriving while adapting with the dynamism in current times, in Old Delhi. The talk of a revival of vernacular crafts, designs and traditional items has often been raised, sustainability and vernacular are often marginalized rather ignored. Only recently, India has felt the need to have its own design language, The lack of impetus to uplift thriving vernacular economies needs to be addressed, given the fact that the world now has to be sustainable to survive, let alone plan for the future. It is imperative to recognize that craft and design are not a market of the elite or exotic from the East but rather the need of the hour in terms of time and place. A sustainable built environment and its impact on the stakeholders was assessed qualitatively and quantitatively through a case study from the Purani Dilli. This model presented could address our quest for sustainable local communities with limited or no bearing on the environment and cognitive well-being of the inhabitants. The observation methodology adopted for fieldwork as primary research with extensive literature review was analyzed on four pillars of sustainability. The paper concludes that sustainable, flexible, adaptable, self-sustaining vernacular economies continue thriving with new impetus, ideas, and outlook.

Public spaces are at the heart of urban life. They are crucial to the smooth and seamless enactment of activities across public and private realms and also critical for physical and emotional well-being of inhabitants. Exponential urban growth has negatively impacted both the distinctive idea of public space and its attributes in Indian historic cities threatening their existence. Significant research has been conducted on public spaces however notion of public spaces in inner core areas in historic cities remains to be crystallized. Based on literature review and empirical work, a comprehensive theoretical framework has been developed for understanding ‘Notion of Public Spaces’ in inner core areas. Using the theoretical framework public spaces in four historic cities in Rajasthan were systematically analyzed. Findings indicate that ‘Notion of Public Space’ in historic cities is that of a seamless, hierarchical, and shared domain of multi-functional spaces exhibiting a strong sense of place, belongingness, and bonding in which day-to-day activities of people unfold. Findings further reveal that the material public space has been conceptualized as an armature for sustaining the public realm. Four fundamental principles ‘accessible, unrestrained, sociable and free to use’ define the notion of public space in inner core area, firmly establishing that public spaces comprise of physical, non-physical, and user components which can be further characterized by five physical and nine intangible attributes. Findings of this research are critical for safeguarding public spaces in inner core areas and offer important learnings for the design of new sociable, liveable, and sustainable urban habitats.

The modern state has, as one of its primary responsibilities, the delivery of essential public services like water, sanitation, primary health care, electricity, garbage disposal, and so on in urban centres. Rapid and unfettered urbanization poses a severe threat to sustainable development goals and leads to the depletion of natural resources and governance failure. In the early days, the debate focused on public versus private before moving on to the PPP models. In recent years, especially after the 2015 Paris Agreement in December 2015, sustainability has become a mainstay in service delivery discussions and planning. However, in the Indian context, achieving sustainability in urban public service delivery is still a far cry from the current situation of the built environment and living conditions. For this to be possible, residents and citizens must be not only aware of sustainability but also willing to choose the more sustainable option available to them. This study is an early-stage analysis, in the Indian context, for identifying user opinion on essential public services and tracking progress on the path to sustainable urban public services delivery. The three essential public services studied are water supply, waste management, and public transport, and the four major metropolitan cities are Delhi/NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bangalore. Primary data was collected through a public opinion survey to assess satisfaction and dissatisfaction scores and measure sustainability and willingness to pay for better services. Results indicate the significance of public participation, communication, and collaboration for better public services delivery and a pressing need to re-look at the three services. The sustainability scores also indicate an urgent need to take actions in all four metropolitan cities that were parts of this study. Furthermore, the data reveals that citizens of all four metropolitan cities were willing to pay more for better delivery of public services.

REITs have been at the forefront of making the Indian real estate market more sustainable. This paper aims to compare the sustainability initiatives and best practices adopted by REITs in India (I-REITs). Secondary data was collected from publicly available sources like websites, annual reports, and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reports of I-REITs were studied to understand their contribution towards sustainability through Content Analysis. The research examines the ESG practices of three listed REITs in India: Embassy Office Parks REIT, Mindspace Business Parks REIT, and Brookfield Real Estate Trust REIT. These sustainability initiatives are segregated into seven different parameters covering ESG vision, Renewal energy, Recycling, Biodiversity, Sourcing, Social/Community Engagement, and Corporate Governance. The outcome of this study provides insights into the REITs and identifies best practices for promoting sustainability in the commercial real estate industry. The research finds that all three REITs have made significant efforts to improve their ESG performance. Embassy REIT has relatively performed better, especially in terms of environmental sustainability. It is recommended that there should be common minimum reporting standards for I-REITs which will further increase data availability and transparency. This study's findings can assist policymakers, investors, and other real estate industry stakeholders in evaluating the ESG performance of REITs and making informed decisions.

Cities, their development, and growth in urban geography context have been well defined in developed economies. Also, the penetration of green buildings in developed economies has been significant over the last two decades. The cities’ development pattern in developing countries and penetration of green buildings have not yet been adequately defined in the urban geography context in literature. Through secondary data sources, the paper defines the development patterns existing in Indian cities. The paper classifies the business districts and their development patterns by taking Mumbai, NCR, and Bangalore regions for in-depth study. The findings suggest three layers of development as the city periphery has emerging business districts with high real estate development activity. The paper finds similarities and dissimilarities within the business districts, development patterns, and penetration of green buildings in these three important commercial cities of India. Overall, the penetration of green buildings in business districts of Indian cities can be significantly enhanced through regulatory and policy initiatives.

India has expressed its willingness to become a Net-Zero economy by 2070 and to reduce emissions by 45% from the 2005 level by 2030. As per Council on Energy, Environment and Water estimates (a leading think-tank in India specializing in energy and environmental issues), to reach net zero by 2070, India needs investments worth USD 10 trillion. The objective of this research is to analyze if financing mechanisms proposed by the Government of India (GoI) are in line with international practices and to suggest solutions for leveraging existing institutional structures. The methodology adopted for the analysis is case analysis of innovative financial tools adopted by different countries or regions to deal with the impacts of the NZT and facilities from these regions like DBSA Climate Finance Facility (South Africa), SDG Indonesia One Green Finance Facility (Indonesia), and ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility (ASEAN countries) have been compared and contrasted with the existing Indian institutional structures like National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) to understand the best practices and how they can be adopted by India to accelerate its NZT. The research outputs can provide valuable pointers to the policymakers to structure the financing mechanisms and develop appropriate instruments.

Over the last few decades, the construction industry has seen a tremendous growth in understanding and adapting green ideas. Green concept is now permeating different environments including administrative campuses, convention centers, educational campuses, IT parks, leisure and entertainment centers, armed forces bases, religious institutions, etc., even though it initially started with individual buildings. In India, buildings in the education sector produce about 230 million tonnes more CO₂ than what they use annually. As more institutional and educational advances take place, there is a sharp rise in the need for water, land, and other resources. Developing practical strategies for resource saving, energy and water conservation, and waste reduction are of growing interest to the researchers today. This paper aims to investigate the strategies and techniques used by Nalanda University in achieving net-zero waste, water, and energy in its new campus. The paper will also explain the effectiveness of these strategies in promoting sustainability and reducing environmental impact. When fully functional, it will become India’s first educational campus with net-zero emission. When complete, the Nalanda University will emerge as a model for other educational institutions in India, demonstrating them how to adopt the highest standards of energy efficiency and climate responsive design to lower their energy needs. The implementation of green concepts and practices on college campuses can help to address national issues with resource conservation, consumer waste treatment, water efficiency, and energy efficiency. Findings and practices from this case study have been proven to be crucial and efficient for lowering energy costs, improving users’ thermal comfort, and promoting environment-friendly construction methods. What counts most is how successfully these concepts can contribute to the health, pleasure, and wellbeing of their users.

Construction is the second-largest industry in the world. Due to social and economic evolution, Indian city populations are growing these days. The metro has been promoted in an increasing number of large cities around the world as an important mode of public transportation and urban utilization. Metro systems have a variety of effects on urban development, including stimulating the use of urban services. Green metro has long been considered a crucial step towards an economic, flexible, and environmentally friendly concept. This study examines the most popular environmental assessment techniques, including Indian green building council (IGBC), Leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED), and Green rating for integrated habitat assessment (GRIHA). Comparative research revealed that existing assessment techniques had several constraints when employed in an Indian-built context. By addressing additional factors like varying climatic conditions and regional variations, existing methods can be applied to various regions. An attempt is made to develop a framework by using principal component analysis (PCA). The aim of these studies is to create criteria for a rating system on metro stations that takes weather conditions into account. The limitation of the developed system should suit the local context. The conclusions of this paper can help developers and designers create a rating system. It will have of significant impact on the research technique that can be effectively applied to developing a rating system.

Unprecedentedly frequent occurrences of urban flooding are becoming a major concern for urban planners in several Indian cities. The primary causes of this urban disaster are changes in rainfall patterns brought on by global climate change and rapid changes in Land Use Land Cover (LULC) types. The amount of impervious land cover in cities has gradually grown due to growing built areas and modifications to LULC, transforming rainfall into surface runoff that is eventually removed by the local sewage system. This has several consequences, including increased surface runoff and decreased water storage capacity of soil. Despite some initiatives, the problem of urban flooding stays unresolved. In the case of Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India, a proper study has not been done on the impacts of change in land use and land cover on urban flooding. This study analyzes the transmogrification of urban morphology and evaluates the impact of urbanization in terms of land use land cover considering two major factors: surface runoff and the potential maximum water storage capacity of soil using the SCS-CN method. It was found that the built land cover has increased by 164% whereas the un-built land cover has reduced by 33% in the study area over the study period (1985–2020). This increase in built land cover has increased the surface runoff by 37% and decreased the water holding or storage capacity of soil by 20% of the study area. This study serves as a foundation for creating sustainable urban flood mitigation strategies for the city and other comparable places.

For the past 70 years, the number of people living in cities around the world has massively grown, almost six times, from 751 million in 1950 to 4.2 billion in 2018. This growth will continue, with predictions saying that by 2050, about 6.7 billion people will be living in cities. To handle this growth well, there is a need for effective city management that can find a balance between what different people want and need. Understanding how to make our cities resilient, or able to bounce back from challenges, is a big part of this. The idea of resilience is about making sure cities can keep working well and that everyone living there, especially people who are often left out or at risk, can thrive. This is where the Urban Resilience framework plays a crucial role. It looks at the problems and challenges a city faces, how different parts of the city system interact, and how we can learn from what’s happening and then plan for the same. Resilience planning plays a crucial role in identifying and implementing effective processes and solutions. This study aims to provide an overview of various urban resilience frameworks and their practical applications in addressing urban vulnerability and promoting sustainability. By examining these frameworks, an attempt has been made to seek insights into effective strategies for building resilient cities and fostering inclusive, socially just, and sustainable urban environments.

The construction projects have become more complex in recent years, with shorter delivery times. During the design phase, there is a huge volume of interactions that occur between the various design domains. It is often found that the constructability of the design is not considered thoroughly while carrying out the design process. Minimizing these interfaces/interactions can help reduce the rework caused by design changes. In this study, the idea of using automation for managing the construction projects is utilized to transform the traditional method of project execution into concurrent method by squeezing the design phase using modules. Modules represent the simpler standardized independent units with same interface which has minimum or no interaction with the other design units. Matrix methods like Design Structure Matrix (DSM) have the capability to map these design interdependencies, thus assisting in this process. This study develops a framework for identification of modules by thoroughly studying the design-construction process to manage multiple interactions occurring among the design activities. To achieve this objective, DSM-based module identification has been attempted on data from multiple bridge projects. The proposed framework can be used to develop a sustainable design package architecture. The design modules identified from the framework can further be standardized and modified for reduction in activity cycle time. The framework yielded positive results for bridge design packages, still a proper understanding of the system or design package is required to achieve satisfactory results for other types of construction projects.

Over the past few years, the use of robots in the construction sector has gained in popularity. In this study, the implications of robot adoption on the Indian construction industry's productivity, costs, speed, quality, health and safety, employment, environment, economy, and GDP are examined. The study shows that the use of robots in construction has an influence on a variety of industrial elements, both positively and negatively. Benefits include a move toward sustainable practices, greater project quality, faster project completion, and improved worker safety. However, the possible drawbacks include lost employment, particularly for inexperienced labor, as well as erratic impacts on project cost and energy usage. In addition to raising the level of investment in the sector and encouraging the use of sustainable practices, the use of robots in construction has also raised the cost of research and development in the field. Nevertheless, the influence of robot implementation on India’s GDP and overall economic growth continues to be nuanced and complex. The report suggests that robotics be implemented gradually over time in phases and that contractors consider the advantages and disadvantages of deploying robots in view of their high capital expenses. Overall, the use of robots in the construction sector brings both opportunities and challenges, and their adoption must be carefully assessed to ensure that the advantages exceed the drawbacks.

Megatrends in infrastructure development will increase in cement manufacturing, which is currently one of the hardest sources of CO₂ emissions to reduce. However, cementitious materials like Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) are being used to enhance sustainability in the construction sector. GGBS is a cementitious substance that is utilized in concrete to a limited extent and is a by-product of the iron-producing blast furnaces. It is extremely important for boosting concrete’s durability and strength. Its major benefit is the ability to slow down the hydration process thereby impacting the setting time of concrete. Even though multiple studies have looked at various areas like evaluating the reduction of cement use, reduction in CO₂ and reduction in cost when the optimum percentage of GGBS is used in the mix design. Thus, the aim of the study is to analyse the economic and environmental impacts of GGBS as a partial substitute in concrete in Pune Metro Project. In order to achieve this goal, different applications of GGBS from past literature are examined. Then the suitability of GGBS is assessed to propose a mixed design by using different percentages of GGBS. Further, the optimum GGBS replacement results are examined to check the economic and environmental viability in the context of the Pune Metro Project.

A tubular daylight guidance system (TDGS) effectively transports natural sunlight into the building interiors. It mainly consists of three parts viz. daylight collector, light-guiding tube with mirror lining on the interior surface also called mirror light pipe (MLP), and a diffuser. The system is passive, i.e. there are no tracking devices. In this paper, two configurations of TDGS setups consisting of a hemispherical transparent dome as daylight collectors integrated with six-meter-long cylindrical MLP and cylindrical MLP with a tapered neck were simulated for their lighting performance in a building. Simulation studies were performed using the lighting software tool Tracepro. The photometric analysis was done separately under direct components of sunlight and diffuse skylight for various timings on 21 June and 21 December. Results indicated that the lighting performance of the proposed design configuration having cylindrical MLP with a tapered neck was significantly enhanced on 21 December in comparison to the conventional daylight collector set up by more than ~50%. The lighting performance was similar to the conventional cylindrical MLP system on 21 June, and there was no compromise in the lighting levels for the desired visual performance for most of the day.

The concept of risk in Indian construction sector is increasingly being addressed by researchers, managers, and policymakers since it has the great ability of changing the existing situations. Typically, any solution in the industry lies in the application of appropriate theoretical techniques and models so that risks may be reduced and chances of project failure can be eliminated. But today those solutions and alternatives are sought by introducing new technologies which can deal with identifying, analyzing, and managing nearly all types of risks in projects and organizations. Therefore, it’s fair enough to say that these technologies are playing a major role in integrating the complexity and diversification of the construction sector with societal and human needs. This research study is going to undertake the identification of the key challenges of technology/ies adoption and analyze those risks using a modified version of two-dimensional Risk Breakdown Matrix followed by a consolidated Risk Matrix of technologies. The primary source of data collection was done through a detailed structured questionnaire survey where different parameters were interpreted on the Likert scale. The respondents were the construction industry stakeholders who emphasized on addressing the issue and improvising risk management strategies and techniques via the effective use of new technologies. The complete analysis of a randomly picked survey response out of 40 is shown as a sample in this paper to understand the feasibility of the proposed modified version of the analysis method. The result indicates how certain risk factors contribute to the adoption of new technologies in the sector.

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is used to assess the condition of the structures in the construction industry that has the potential to significantly enhance structure safety and performance. SHM is the continuous monitoring of structures via the use of sensors and monitoring systems, allowing for the early identification of any possible problems or damage. And by utilizing these systems, we can also accomplish sustainability, since these systems assist in understanding the health of the building on a regular basis, allowing the structure to last longer than the planned life. The usage of SHM has been extensively accepted in Western nations, but it has been somewhat gradual in emerging countries such as India. The purpose of this study was to assess the Suitability, Effectiveness, and Acceptance of SHM in the Indian construction Industry. This study also contains a literature assessment of the present state of SHM in the sector and an examination of regulatory and technological aspects that may impact the adoption of SHM systems in the Indian construction industry. This research indicates that SHM has the potential to be a beneficial tool for enhancing the safety and performance of structures in the Indian construction industry. However, there are various barriers to its acceptance, including the high cost of adopting SHM, a lack of regulatory backing, and a lack of knowledge and awareness of SHM among real estate professionals and building owners. To solve these issues, we suggest that the Indian government and construction sector collaborate to design rules and regulations to facilitate SHM adoption and raise stakeholder understanding of the technology.

India is facing a major challenge for the proper and sustainable management of C&D waste as its careless handling leads to environmental damage as well as pressure on the natural resources. The embodied energy aspects and the environmental impacts of C&D waste management are often studied, whereas the level of sustainability of C&D waste management strategies is seldom looked into. This study intends to formulate a framework for assessing the sustainability levels of C&D waste management strategies. For this, the parameters that help determine sustainability were identified and assigned their weightage based on their criticality through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The values for the process were obtained from surveys conducted among the subject experts. A total of eight parameters were identified, out of which the global warming potential was found to be the most critical (16.7% weightage) followed by human toxicity potential (15%) and carbon emissions (14.2%). The study intends to address the issue of the absence of a proper method to understand which waste management solution is best suitable for a particular context considered.