Indian firms step up for planet's health

3D PRINTING TO WATER STEWARDSHIP Climate-friendly measures include apps that help employees track and reduce their carbon footprint

- AHONA CHAKRAVARTY

Earlier this month, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) launched a unique initiative with the health of the planet in mind. It encouraged its employees across India to forgo ironing on Mondays, and instead turn up in wrinkled clothes.

The campaign was rooted in the idea that if millions of Indians skipped ironing just once a week, a good deal of energy would be saved, and it would significantly reduce carbon emissions.

Across India's corporate landscape, various companies are coming up with offbeat eco-friendly ideas.

Recently, to build its office in Khalapur, Maharashtra, Godrej and Boyce decided to forgo traditional construction methods altogether.

Instead, the Godrej group's flagship company turned to 3D construction printing. The result was a small, 48square-metre office, aptly named "The Cocoon", built in 40 hours flat.

"Besides being efficient, 3D printing allows for complex, customised architectural features at comparatively lower costs," explains Tejashree Joshi, head of environment and sustainability at Godrej & Boyce.

The technology also enables the use of recycled material. "The recycled concrete aggregates used are from the construction and demolition debris recycled at the Godrej recycled concrete material plant, which is powered by 100 per cent THE CALL PAGES renewable energy," Joshi says.