Our organisational ethos at Godrej Construction is interconnected with an uncompromising commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable development.

Good and Green’ is more than a slogan for Godrej Construction; it’s a way of doing business. In this interview, we look at specific examples of how their eco-friendly initiatives shape the future of sustainable construction and infrastructure projects.

Please provide an in-depth overview of your company and the range of products and services showcased at the World of Concrete Expo?

Godrej Construction is a key participant in the real estate and construction industries and is deeply rooted in its essence. Our exhibit at this esteemed World of Concrete Expo is proof of our dedication to innovation and sustainability in this industry.

At this event, we proudly unveiled a broad selection of cutting-edge concrete solutions and materials. In response to the expanding market need for low-carbon concrete solutions, we offered “Enviro Taft,” a ready-mix concrete product with a strong environmental focus. We also launched “Easy Tough,” a fantastic self-compacting concrete version, in keeping with our dedication to sustainability. Another significant innovation was “Extensor Tuff,” a product designed to satisfy dense concrete applications’ various requirements.

AAC (Autoclaved Aerated Concrete) blocks and associated goods were featured in our presentation, which stretched beyond traditional concrete solutions into the field of paving. In our presentation, we introduced solid recycled concrete blocks and pavers that had been painstakingly built from waste-recycled concrete that had been processed at our cutting-edge Vikhroli plant in Mumbai. We have so far been able to effectively recycle an astonishing 30,000 metric tonnes of concrete waste, saving our city’s landfill space and promoting sustainability.

Additionally, we have enthusiastically accepted the incorporation of recycled concrete aggregate into our selection of prefabricated concrete products. This method enables us to cater to the various needs of our clients. It reaffirms our dedication to eco-conscious practises in the construction sector by enabling us to offer standard solutions and highly customisable choices like U-trains, box culverts, and drain coverings.

Godrej Construction is involved in the supply of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. What role do AAC blocks play in enhancing the sustainability and efficiency of this high-speed rail infrastructure?

AAC blocks are an excellent example of sustainability in construction materials, and their use is growing rapidly across India. Fly ash, a byproduct of power plants is used for producing this remarkable building material, which is then autoclaved in an oven to produce AAC blocks with high thermal efficiency. Plus, they offer an environmentally beneficial and completely sustainable solution that incorporates the recycling of waste materials like fly ash and is noticeably lighter than regular bricks. The underlying trend in the building sector, progressively emphasising sustainable practises and environmental responsibility is well aligned with this conscious ecological approach.

The company’s commitment to sustainability is evident through initiatives like Good & Green. Can you share specific examples of how these initiatives have contributed to more sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions in construction and infrastructure projects?

Our organisational ethos at Godrej Construction is interconnected with an uncompromising commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable development. We passionately embrace the slogan “Good and Green” as our guiding concept, aggressively supporting goods that not only show regard for the environment but also support long-term sustainability. Our long-term goal is to have 50% of our sales come from green items.

A variety of environmentally friendly goods, such as ready-mix concrete, AAC blocks, solid recycled concrete blocks, pavers, and custom precast concrete products built from recycled concrete aggregate, are included in our wide-ranging portfolio. These environmentally friendly options are crucial in helping us achieve our goals for green products.

It’s important to understand that our dedication to “Good and Green” is integral to our fundamental principles rather than merely a numerical target. It highlights our unwavering dedication to sustainable growth and a better, more environmentally friendly future for all.

Can you elaborate on your approach to recycling concrete and how it aligns with sustainability goals? What are the main advantages of using recycled concrete products in construction projects?

We implemented a revolutionary strategy for dealing with construction and demolition waste in line with our “Good and Green” goal. We opened a facility in Mumbai in 2017 with a 300-ton daily processing capability. In this facility, we recycle concrete scrap to create a range of useful goods, such as paver and solid blocks. About 30,000 metric tonnes of concrete scrap have been effectively repurposed, keeping the materials from cluttering Mumbai’s landfills, an increasing problem. By reusing materials, these recycled concrete products promote environmental sustainability while reducing embedded carbon, a crucial component in fostering sustainability throughout the business.

 What measures and processes are in place to maintain the highest quality standards in Godrej & Boyce’s RMC solutions, and how do they cater to the specific needs of various projects?

Godrej remains committed to quality, and our construction materials division actively implements many measures to ensure this. We aspire for “Dream Pro” accreditation for all our products, which our AAC blocks have achieved. Our Ready-Mix Concrete factories are also QC certified. Notably, we were the first in the business to receive annual accreditation for our quality lab in Vikhroli.

Meanwhile, we have launched initiatives like “The Squad,” in which a quality staff visits our customers to reduce the need for consumers to travel to our labs for various testing procedures. Our strategy is fundamentally customer-centric, with sustainability as our primary focus. We prioritise exceeding customer expectations while meeting each project’s sustainability standards as we design our solutions and products.

Spokesperson – Abhijeet Gawde, Head of Business Development & Marketing, Godrej Construction