Johnson Controls Proposes Blueprint for India’s Net Zero Future

Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings, today launched a whitepaper titled “Tech for Green India - Mission Net Zero” at the 21st edition of Green Building Congress 2023, India’s flagship conference and expo on the green built environment. 

“Buildings contribute nearly 40% of global emissions and at Johnson Controls, our priority is to help make buildings more sustainable and energy efficient, providing solutions that meet the specific needs of each building. We believe a holistic and collaborative approach will enable the nation to realise its full potential effectively,” said Anu Rathninde, president, Asia Pacific, Johnson Controls. “This white paper aligns with our vision for sustainability, and we are committed to continuous innovation and collaboration with our ecosystem partners, in the journey to a decarbonised future.”

The launch was presided over by Mr. Rathninde and Mr. Arun Awasthy, president & managing director, Johnson Controls India. 

In response to the climate crisis, nations across the world have accelerated their efforts towards achieving net zero emissions and have set targets in alignment with their developmental needs. India, the third largest energy consumer in the world, established a target of meeting net zero emissions by 2070. In the collective efforts towards achieving these goals, the whitepaper details the role of technology in transforming buildings and urban spaces. The whitepaper explores the multiple challenges facing the Indian green building industry today, and provides a framework within which these challenges can begin to be addressed. A comprehensive strategy is imperative along this journey:

• Increasing Awareness & Adoption: Comprehensive information campaigns are an effective tool to educate both professionals in the sector as well as citizens. Also important is incorporating sustainability and green building modules into academic curricula, creating a pool of energy experts and offering life-cycle costing training to emphasise long-term financial gains. Meanwhile, strengthening the incentive framework around green building projects in terms of low-interest loans, additional construction area, discounted property taxes, and worker skilling would be hugely beneficial to the sector. 

• Enhancing Standardisation: Consolidating a set of consistent green building standards into one or two legally binding certifications will bring more effectiveness, and these standardised certifications need to be aggressively promoted across various channels, to promote adoption. Also there is a call for consistent evaluation matrices, for accurate and consistent performance assessment.

• Optimizing the Use of Data & Technology: The whitepaper suggests leveraging India's PM Gati Shakti Platform to consolidate information on green buildings, fostering a network and an information dashboard for more effective use of green building technology. Also, establishing sustainability indices becomes essential while assessing the sustainability and performance of a city or locality in comparison to its counterparts in different regions, which should be adjusted to factor in the developmental and climactic realities of the region. Leveraging technology, such as smart controls and IoT, along with innovative materials and behavioural changes in residents, can create smart, energy-efficient, and resilient buildings. 

“India is at the cusp of making some great breakthroughs in the Green Building sector. We are at a point that demands immediate action and collaboration. It is heartening to see that there is a strong willingness among stakeholders in the public and private sector to collaborate on a framework that accelerates India’s green building adoption. At Johnson Controls India, we look forward to being at the forefront of this reform,” said Mr. Awasthy.

Johnson Controls, an industry leader in providing cutting edge building technologies for nearly 140 years, improved building performance across multiple industries. In India, its work spans both public and private enterprises, across industries like transportation, information technology, health care, hospitality, manufacturing and industry parks. With its integrated building technologies including high-efficient chillers, heat pumps, building management systems, and OpenBlue digital solutions, Johnson Controls has helped customers in India significantly reduce energy cost and cut carbon emissions, making due contributions to the country’s drive for a green future. 

Click here to download and read the full whitepaper.