On this International Day of Architecture, Godrej & Boyce, the Godrej Group’s flagship company, released a survey it had undertaken with students from 22 architecture institutions. The conglomerate has operations in construction, consumer durables, industrial products, intralogistics, and many other areas. The study, titled “Building a Sustainable Future, Together,” was done by Godrej & Boyce with ESG at its centre and throughout the value chain to empower the following generation of students who will be crucial in advancing India’s sustainability aspirations.

More than 46 percent of respondents were aware of the technologies that would hasten green developments in the architectural and design sector. This implies that the remaining respondents (approximately 54 percent) received no practical training during their academic studies. On the other hand, 25 percent of students believe that their current curriculum will enable them to meet the demand for developing sustainable initiatives.

Most people think that if the average consumer is more aware of living sustainably, the needle will start to move. 57 percent of respondents believe there has to be more excellent consumer knowledge for consumers to choose sustainable projects. More than 45 percent of respondents think legislation requiring sustainable practices is necessary. However, an astounding 47 percent  were unsure, indicating a significant knowledge gap.

The study’s respondents all agreed on one point: architects and designers need to receive the appropriate technical knowledge and skills, which is just as important as convincing end customers to select green solutions. Most agree that sustainable practices should be included in the architectural foundation from the very beginning of projects. Even with awareness, the majority still thinks that promoting sustainability in the building and infrastructure sectors will not be sufficiently assisted by mandatory regulations.