Pune:The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), Pune Chapter, in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry, organized the 'Green Sabha' initiative on Saturday, October 19, where discussions were held on the concept of eco-friendly construction. The participants in this event included Manish Banker, Head of Tao Architecture Pvt. Ltd.; Dr. Poorva Keskar, Chairperson, IGBC Pune Chapter; Senior Architect Vikas Achalkar; Hrisikesh Manjrekar, Vice-Chairperson, IGBC Pune Chapter; Sagar Munishwar; and Namrata Dhamankar. The event was initiated with an opening speech by Dr. Poorva Keskar. The event took place at PYC Gymkhana, where Manish Banker provided guidance on the topic 'Design with Nature,' followed by a discussion on the 'Green Sabha' initiative.

Manish Banker said, "Pune used to be a pleasant city, but in the last three decades, that has changed. Everyone in the construction sector should contribute to preserving the city's old characteristics. There is a need to improve the condition of all cities. No other species on Earth harms the planet, but the same cannot be said about humans. We must incorporate the best elements from traditional Indian construction methods. Just as the people living in a building need space to breathe, the buildings themselves should have space to breathe too. There should be maximum use of solar energy and environmentally friendly construction materials. A holistic approach should be adopted."

Dr. Poorva Keskar provided information about the IGBC's green rating system and training initiatives. She said, "Green building is not just a concept but the soul of construction. We are striving to make it a vision. The government should also provide more incentives. She also explained the criteria such as reduced water and energy consumption, a healthy work environment, and waste management systems. The national goal is to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, and for that, sustainable development is the way forward."

Hrisikesh Manjrekar spoke about the exchange of ideas between architects and construction professionals. He said that these two groups together can advance environmentally friendly concepts. There should be effective communication and mutual time given for this purpose. On this occasion, Hindustan Petroleum MDI was honored with a 'Green Building' certificate. The event was moderated by Sujal Shah. Representatives from various organizations, including Mahesh Bangad, Sanjay Tasgaonkar, Ganesh Jadhav and Anshul Gujarati, were present, stated a press release.