IGBC Green Pune Summit 2026: Driving the Vision of a Sustainable Pune 2040
The Confederation of Indian Industry's (CII) Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) recently convened a significant gathering of policymakers, urban planners, industry experts, developers, and sustainability professionals at the IGBC Green Pune Summit 2026. The theme of the summit, 'Pune 2040: Building India's Leading Green, Climate-Ready City,' underscores the city's ambitious goals for sustainable development.
Pune has emerged as one of India's leading cities in green building initiatives, currently ranking second in 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. The city's commitment to sustainable development is evident in its diverse portfolio of green building projects, including 581 commercial, 723 residential, 70 industrial and logistics, 24 built environment, 60 transit infrastructure, and 23 Net Zero projects.
The inaugural session of the summit was graced by prominent figures such as 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. The summit also honored exemplary green building projects, recognizing their contributions to sustainable development.
Shri Jitendra Bhople, Director of Town Planning, Government of Maharashtra, emphasized the importance of sustainable development, stating, '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 centers for generations to come.'
C. Shekar Reddy, National Chairman, CII Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), addressed the summit virtually, saying, '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.'
Ms. Poorva Keskar, National Chairperson, IGBC Green Education, highlighted the progress of India's green building movement, stating, '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.'
Mr. Hrishikesh Manjrekar, Chairman, IGBC Pune Chapter, emphasized Pune's commitment to sustainability, saying, '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 summit featured a thought-provoking fireside chat, 'The Green Dialogue: Breaking Barriers & Building Solutions,' with Dr. Poorva Keskar and Mr. Vinod Rohira. 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.
Another technical session focused 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; Dr. Anshul Gujarathi, Core Committee Member, IGBC Pune Chapter; and Mr. Sundeep Vullikanti, Senior Counsellor, CII-IGBC.
The second technical session, 'The Green Evolution: Smart Practices and Sustainable Building Envelopes,' explored intelligent building systems, advanced façade solutions, green materials, and technology-driven approaches for developing resilient, future-ready, and resource-efficient buildings. The session 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 summit concluded with a strong emphasis on Pune’s emergence as a leading hub for green buildings, reflecting the city's growing commitment to 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.
