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Government, Industry and Sustainability Leaders Unite to Advance the Vision of "Pune 2040: Building India's Leading Green, Climate-Ready City" 

The Confederation of Indian Industry's (CII) Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) today convened policymakers, urban planners, industry experts, developers and sustainability professionals at the IGBC Green Pune Summit 2026, under the theme "Pune 2040: Building India's Leading Green, Climate-Ready City."   

Pune has emerged as one of India's leading green building cities, currently ranking second, in the state of Maharashtra, with 1,481 registered green building projects covering over 2.34 billion sq. ft., and 450 certified projects accounting for more than 1.09 billion sq. ft. of green built-up area. Pune continues to play a significant role in this growth, with registered projects spanning diverse sectors, including 581 commercial projects, 723 residential projects, 70 industrial and logistics projects, 24 built environment projects, 60 transit infrastructure projects and 23 Net Zero projects. These numbers reflect Pune's strong commitment to sustainable development and its growing leadership in advancing green and climate-responsive infrastructure.

The inaugural session was graced by Shri Jitendra Bhople, Director of Town Planning and Valuation Department, Government of Maharashtra; Mr. Vinod Rohira, Managing Director & CEO – Commercial Real Estate, K Raheja Corp; Dr. Poorva Keskar, National Chair, IGBC Green Education; Mr. Hrishikesh Manjrekar, Chairman, IGBC Pune Chapter; and Mr. Tushar Yeole, Co-Chair, IGBC Pune Chapter, along with policymakers, urban planners, developers, architects, sustainability professionals, industry leaders and other stakeholders from the built environment sector. The summit also featured the felicitation of exemplary green building projects, recognizing their contribution towards advancing sustainable development. Through insightful discussions and collaborative engagement, the Green Pune Summit created a platform to strengthen partnerships, promote innovation and accelerate Pune's vision of becoming India's leading green and climate-ready city by 2040.

Shri Jitendra Bhople, Director of Town Planning, Government of Maharashtra, said, "Maharashtra is one of India's most progressive and industrially advanced states. As our cities continue to grow, we must ensure that development and sustainability move forward together. The decisions we make today will define the livability, resilience and environmental health of our urban centres for generations to come.

Sustainability cannot be limited to individual buildings or projects; it must be embedded across cities, regions and the ecosystems that support them. In this regard, IGBC has played a transformative role by providing practical frameworks and measurable pathways for sustainable development. The recognition of Pune Municipal Corporation and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation under the IGBC Green Cities Rating Framework is a testament to how local governments can successfully integrate sustainability into urban planning and governance.

Green buildings and sustainable practices are no longer optional—they are fundamental to creating greener, healthier and more livable cities. By prioritizing water management, sustainable mobility, green cover and citizen well-being, we can build a future where sustainability becomes the foundation of urban development."

C. Shekar Reddy, National Chairman, CII Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), virtually addressing the Green Pune Summit said, "India's transition towards a low-carbon future will be significantly shaped by the built environment. Pune has consistently demonstrated leadership in adopting green building practices and can play a pivotal role in advancing India's sustainability agenda. Through initiatives such as the Green Pune Summit, IGBC seeks to foster partnerships, accelerate innovation and drive the adoption of high-performance green buildings and sustainable infrastructure. Together, we can create cities that are environmentally responsible, economically vibrant and socially inclusive.”

Addressing the session, Ms. Poorva Keskar, National Chairperson, IGBC Green Education, said, “India’s green building movement has evolved from a niche concept to a national priority, and the progress achieved over the past two decades is truly remarkable. With over 15.9 billion sq. ft. of registered green building footprint and a rapidly growing Net Zero movement, India is demonstrating global leadership in sustainable development. Maharashtra continues to lead this transformation, with Pune emerging as one of the key contributors across commercial, residential and industrial developments. As we look towards 2030, the imperative before us is not just to sustain this momentum but to accelerate it. By bringing together the power of technology, innovative financing, and enabling policies, we can create meaningful impact for businesses, communities and the environment while building a resilient and future-ready built ecosystem.”

Over the years, Pune has emerged as one of India's leading hubs for green buildings, reflecting the city's growing commitment towards environmental stewardship and sustainable development. The discussions at the summit reinforced the need to further scale green construction practices, strengthen policy frameworks, and accelerate the adoption of net-zero and climate-resilient solutions across the built environment.

Highlighting Pune’s achievements, Mr. Hrishikesh Manjrekar, Chairman, IGBC Pune Chapter, said, "Pune has emerged as one of India's most progressive cities in embracing sustainability and green development. The city's strong ecosystem of industry, academia, developers and policymakers provides a unique foundation for accelerating climate action. The Green Pune Summit is designed to bring these stakeholders together to exchange ideas, share best practices and develop actionable strategies that can help position Pune as India's leading green and climate-ready city by 2040. The collective commitment demonstrated today reinforces our confidence in achieving that vision."

The summit featured a thought-provoking fireside chat, "The Green Dialogue: Breaking Barriers & Building Solutions," featuring Dr. Poorva Keskar, National Chair, IGBC Green Education, and Mr. Vinod Rohira, Managing Director & CEO – Commercial Real Estate, K Raheja Corp. The discussion examined the evolving landscape of sustainable development in India and highlighted the need for stronger collaboration among policymakers, businesses and the real estate sector to overcome challenges related to regulation, financing and technology adoption. The speakers emphasized that accelerating the transition to climate-responsive infrastructure will require innovation, stakeholder engagement and a shared commitment to long-term sustainability goals.

The summit featured a technical session on ‘Green Building Practices and Technologies,’ bringing together industry experts to share insights on advancing sustainable construction and accelerating the adoption of green building solutions. The session featured presentations by Ar. Abhishek Arora, Partner, Morphogenesis; Mr. Hrishikesh Kulkarni, Co-Creator, Green Score; Mr. Pratik Potnis, Core Committee Member, IGBC Pune Chapter; and Dr. Anshul Gujarathi, Core Committee Member, IGBC Pune Chapter; and Mr. Sundeep Vullikanti, Senior Counsellor, CII-IGBC. The speakers highlighted emerging trends in sustainable design, innovative construction practices and the role of integrated green building strategies in creating high-performance built environments.

The second technical session focused on ‘The Green Evolution: Smart Practices and Sustainable Building Envelopes’ and featured presentations by Ms. Simmy Malhotra, Vice President – Business Strategy, Marketing and Branding, Kidin Industries Pvt. Ltd.; Cdr. Jayant Konde, Chief Administrative Officer, Persistent Systems Ltd.; Mr. Avinash Gowra, Regional Manager (West), Saint-Gobain Glass India Pvt. Ltd.; Mr. Himanshu Manjrekar, Associate Senior Manager – Sustainability, Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd.; Mr. Prathamesh [Surname/Designation, if applicable]; and Mr. Ganesh Jadhav, Core Committee Member, IGBC Pune Chapter. The session explored intelligent building systems, advanced façade solutions, green materials and technology-driven approaches for developing resilient, future-ready and resource-efficient buildings.

The summit concluded with a strong emphasis on Pune’s emergence as one of India's leading hubs for green buildings, reflecting the city's growing commitment towards environmental stewardship and sustainable development. The discussions at the IGBC Green Pune summit 2026 reinforced the need to further scale green construction practices, strengthen policy frameworks, and accelerate the adoption of net-zero and climate-resilient solutions across the built environment.