Godrej & Boyce promote sustainable construction through creative initiatives such as recycled concrete solutions and modern technologies. They meet today’s infrastructure needs while committing to environmental stewardship for a greener future.

Could you explain your commitment to sustainability and how products like TUFFBLOCKS and recycled concrete solutions promote eco-friendly construction?
‘Environmental Stewardship’ is important to Godrej’s business. Our construction division has launched several initiatives to achieve sustainable and responsible construction that aligns with our core principles.

We have introduced environmentally friendly production techniques and energy-saving technologies to reduce our carbon footprint. We follow strict waste management guidelines and recycle water and other commodities to reduce waste.  The Godrej TUFF construction materials brand provides a groundbreaking range of customisable and environmentally friendly solutions. We have been awarded the ‘Green Pro’ certificate by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) for their Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC), Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) Blocks & Allied Products, standard and customised prefabricated concrete products such as recycled concrete blocks, recycled pavers, U-Drains, Box Culverts, and so on.

We have used the Circular Economy design concepts of ‘Recover, Recycle, and Rebuild’ to recycle concrete trash into prefabricated concrete goods such as building blocks, pavers, culverts, ducts, and other bespoke precast concrete products. We have established an automated Recycled Concrete Materials (RCM) manufacturing factory in Vikhroli, Mumbai. This industrial plant produces concrete blocks for walls and pavers from concrete rubble recycled from demolished concrete structures from building and infrastructure projects that would otherwise end up in overflowing municipal landfills. We have already recycled over 30,000 metric tonnes of concrete waste using circular economy concepts.

The IGBC recently gave us the ‘Green Co’ Gold Certification for our Recycled Materials Manufacturing Plant in Vikhroli, Mumbai.  This facility is powered entirely by renewable energy.

We are thrilled to have been a part of the important Mumbai Coastal Road project, for which we supplied 440 big precast concrete box culverts weighing 30 to 35 metric tonnes apiece. These box culverts were utilised to construct a stormwater outfall into the Arabian Sea. The box culverts are designed to survive the harsh coastal climate and strong traffic loads. To contribute to sustainable development, our concrete mix design used up to 10 percent recycled concrete mix to produce these box culverts. This consideration was factored into the design of these concrete structures in close collaboration with the relevant project consultants and authorities.

Godrej’s TUFF AAC Blocks are the next-generation superior alternative to red clay bricks and conventional masonry, providing increased thermal insulation properties and faster and easier construction. TUFF AAC Blocks are eco-friendly and aid in getting green ratings for construction projects. Our whole line of TUFF Walling and Paving Solutions, including TUFF Aerated Autoclaved Concrete (AAC) Blocks, TUFF DuroPlast – Ready Mix Plaster and TUFF Easy Fix – Block Binding Mortar, is IGBC ‘Green Pro’ certified.

How has Godrej Construction integrated advanced concrete technologies, like high-performance RMC and specialised mixes, into challenging infrastructure projects?
We recognise that each construction project is unique, so we provide tailored RMC solutions developed to fit the specific needs of each project. Our skilled engineers collaborate with clients to fully grasp their requirements. We create customised RMC mixes that ensure optimal performance and cost-efficiency using this collaborative approach. We have obtained the ‘Green Pro’ certificate from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) for our Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) products Enviro TUFF, Xtra TUFF, and Easy TUFF.

Enviro TUFF is an eco-friendly concrete mix made by integrating industrial byproducts such as recovered Fly Ash or Grounded Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS). It reduces a project’s carbon footprint while improving its Green Building Rating. Similarly, we offer Xtra TUFF, a high-strength concrete version created utilising various cementitious material blends, resulting in dense, refined microstructures. Xtra TUFF is utilised in projects that demand thinner RCC beams and columns, such as high-rise buildings.

Our four Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) plants in the Mumbai-MMR and Pune regions have received ‘Green Pro’ certification from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).

Godrej’s construction business was among the first RMC sectors to switch to 100 percent green energy. Our company’s seven out of seven (100 percent) Ready Mix Concrete manufacturing units have converted to ‘GREEN POWER’.

How do your automated processes and testing protocols ensure that RMC products like QuickTuff and HiPerTuff meet the needs of diverse construction projects?
We have embraced cutting-edge technology by incorporating IoT devices and data analytics into our manufacturing operations. IoT is used to monitor mixer gearbox vibrations to predict gearbox failure, to track the movement of transit mixers, to deliver concrete and provide an estimated time of arrival (ETA) for the concrete ordered, and to assist trucks in properly positioning on the weighing scale, allowing for accurate weighing. These enhancements permit real-time monitoring of numerous parameters, resulting in exact control over the mixing and pouring processes. We continuously optimise our production procedures by studying data collected via IoT devices. This improves the quality of our RMC products and enables us to respond quickly to any deviations, maintaining consistent quality across all production cycles.

Our top priority is to ensure that RMC goods are of the highest quality. Our RMC plants are accredited by the Quality Council of India (QCI). Our quality control techniques include regular material testing, on-site inspections, and adherence to industry standards. These stringent processes ensure that our RMC products are of the highest quality and adhere to the toughest requirements and regulations. Our RMC Central Quality Laboratory in Vikhroli, Mumbai, recently got a Certificate of Accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) under ISO/IEC 17025:2017. NABL accreditation demonstrates our dedication to achieving quality excellence in our products and services.

In addition to the quality of RMC, Godrej Construction prioritises customer centricity. For over a decade, we have conducted third-party customer satisfaction surveys (CSS) through Nielsen across all of our three lines of business. Customer feedback has supplied us with insights that have enabled us to implement relevant improvement activities to improve our service quality. As a result, we have achieved best-in-class Net Promoter Scores (NPS) across all three of our business lines. Our NPS scores are 78 for Construction Materials, 94 for Real Estate Leasing, and 82 for Real Estate Development.

What are the primary challenges in meeting the demand for durable and sustainable building materials in India, and how is Godrej Construction addressing them?
Given rising infrastructure demands, the Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) market is at a pivotal point. Ongoing megatrends such as urbanisation, sustainable construction, and the requirement for speedy project completion have expanded the scope and potential for the RMC business. The RMC concrete industry is on the verge of a significant transition, with an emphasis on sustainability, efficiency, and innovation. New product advancements and technologies, such as smart concrete, 3D printing, low-carbon concrete, and self-healing concrete, are projected to transform buildings and infrastructure. At Godrej, we are strategically aligned with these trends.

We intend to capitalise on these opportunities, in line with our core values of environmental stewardship, by focussing on developing specialised products in our sustainable range of TUFF Concrete solutions that address specific infrastructure needs, ensuring that our clients receive the most efficient and dependable products.

For more information, visit: https://www.godrejenterprises.com/