The 15-minute city India needs

As urban planners in many parts of the world push for concepts like the 15-minute city, Indian metropolises are evolving into "two-hour cities," where getting from one point to another is nothing short of an endurance sport.

- AMIT KAPOOR

Even as we celebrate green-certified buildings, the daily experience of an average city dweller remains frustratingly inefficient.

Above all, this presents a strange paradox. On the one hand, Indian cities are taking remarkable steps to mainstream green buildings. Uttar Pradesh was recently in the news for approving over 1,400 green building projects covering more than 1.6 billion square feet. In Delhi, too, its cyber hubs and parks proudly boast green certification.

The key question to ask is—what is the point of having an energy-efficient, LEED-certified office tower if employees spend two hours every day commuting through congested roads, breathing polluted air, and burning fossil fuels? Sustainability cannot be confined to the walls of a building; it must extend to the way a city functions.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that building operations account for 30 per cent of global final energy consumption and 26 per cent of global energy-related emissions. The buildings sector overall, which includes energy used for constructing, heating, cooling, and lighting homes and businesses, as well as the appliances and equipment installed in them, accounts for over one-third of global energy consumption and emissions.

Green buildings are, therefore, vital for any country, including India, in its journey towards Net Zero emissions. They are designed to minimize environmental impact by improving energy efficiency, water conservation, and resource management. By integrating passive cooling techniques, renewable energy sources, and sustainable materials, they reduce carbon footprints while enhancing occupant comfort.