Innovative Strategies for Sustainable Construction

On its journey to achieve net zero by 2070, India is making significant progress in deploying clean technologies like solar PV to meet growing energy demands. The building and construction sector, which accounted for approximately 17% of India’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2019 , must undergo substantial decarbonisation to support the country’s energy transition. The production, transport, and processing of traditional building materials have historically led to high embodied energy consumption and a sizeable carbon footprint. Now, as the construction industry pivots towards sustainability, BIPV has emerged as a promising solution, integrating solar PV directly into building structures.

In response to this, the New and Innovative Solar Applications (NISA) programme was launched jointly by GIZ and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to unlock the untapped potential of solar technologies like BIPV. Under this initiative, India’s BIPV potential was estimated at an impressive 309 GW² . However, several barriers continue to hinder progress, including high upfront costs, higher tariffs due to limited product availability, challenges in cleaning and maintenance, a lack of standardisation, and other technical issues related to implementation.

The 16th GRIHA Summit aims to explore vital strategies for achieving sustainability by emphasising the essential aspects of policy advocacy, stakeholder action, energy transition and promoting smart & resilient infrastructure development. This session—a side event at the GRIHA summit— is being organised by TERI and GRIHA Council, under the Development Partnership with the Private Sector (dPP) project by GIZ India and Ornate Solar, aimed at promoting and scaling up the adoption of BIPV in India over the next three years. The session will examine the challenges and opportunities associated with BIPV adoption, focusing on feasibility, efficiency, capacity building, and the sustainability of current PV materials. While BIPV holds the promise of reducing reliance on conventional energy by generating power at the building level, we will address key concerns around balancing aesthetics with efficiency, the lifecycle impacts of BIPV materials, and the economic viability of large-scale applications.

Furthermore, the session will explore recent research and technological advancements in BIPV, including innovations in transparent PV modules, lightweight designs, and energy-efficient coatings. By reviewing successful case studies, participants will gain valuable insights into material performance, design integration, and the sustainability benefits of BIPV. This forward-looking approach aims to support a resilient transition in construction practices, paving the way for net-zero energy buildings.