By Vikas Rathod
Industries and individuals today are looking beyond design aesthetics, and seeking spaces that reflect purpose, performance, shaping our shared future. For those of us un the design and build space (D&B), this reflection is a part of an ongoing shift in how we approach the built environment: as something that must be efficient, enduring, and environmentally responsible by default.
Over the last two decades, sustainability has moved from the margins of project conversations to the core. What was once considered forward-thinking is now expected. Clients are asking sharper questions, policies are evolving, and businesses are re-evaluating the role that physical spaces play in their ESG commitments. For the D&B sector, this is both a challenge and an opportunity — to build not just for today’s needs but for tomorrow’s resilience.
Sustainability is No Longer a Postscript
Sustainability in commercial projects was often treated as a feature to be added once the design and costing were locked. Today, that mindset is shifting, with impactful decisions made before a line is drawn or a layout is proposed: orientation, building envelope strategies, air and light optimisation, material planning, and energy systems design.
In recent projects I’ve led across sectors, we’ve used simulation tools early in the design process to benchmark energy performance and guide low-investment, high-impact decisions. These have included ultra-low flow fixtures for water conservation, LED and T5 lighting integrated with daylighting strategies, and rooftop renewable energy to offset grid dependency. When sustainability is introduced this early, the value translates into measurable efficiency over time.
Certification is a Signal, Not the Strategy
Frameworks such as LEED, IGBC, and EDGE have been instrumental in embedding sustainability into mainstream design conversations. By offering clear metrics and consistent language, they’ve enabled diverse stakeholders to engage with environmental goals in a structured and transparent way. For many project teams operating at scale, this has improved coordination and raised accountability across the lifecycle of a build.
In our experience working with clients targeting LEED Platinum under the latest USGBC guidelines, success has depended less on the points and more on clarity of intent. The certification provides direction, but the real impact is enhancing occupant well-being, system performance, and overall operational quality.
The Economic Logic of Sustainable Design
Well-designed sustainable spaces contribute to operational efficiency by reducing energy and water consumption, lowering maintenance requirements, and optimising system performance. These factors directly influence the cost of ownership and the ability to plan more accurately across the asset’s lifecycle.
In parallel, there is a growing alignment between sustainable infrastructure and capital flow. Investors are evaluating projects not only on immediate returns but on how they align with evolving ESG frameworks. Tenants, too, are making choices informed by their own environmental commitments, employee well-being goals, and brand values. Buildings that respond to these criteria offer owners greater stability in leasing, stronger tenant engagement, and improved asset resilience. When sustainability is integrated early and thoughtfully, it enhances both the physical quality and the financial credibility of a space.
This extends to material decisions too including the use of green materials with low life-cycle impact, GREENGUARD GOLD-certified furniture, and products that meet international standards for indoor air quality and chemical safety. In several projects, we have also integrated advanced filtration systems to reduce pollutants such as PM2.5, TVOCs, and formaldehyde, in line with growing expectations around indoor air quality. These decisions are increasingly seen as essential to ensuring occupant comfort, performance, and long-term well-being.
Policy is Beginning to Regulate and Enable
Over the last few years, we’ve seen positive momentum from planning bodies and local authorities. Incentives such as additional FSI, faster approvals for certified buildings, and performance-linked rebates are reshaping feasibility equations. These extend to marquee projects, urban redevelopment schemes, industrial corridors, and public infrastructure. On the ground, I’ve seen how these measures have started influencing decision-making across the entire value chain, including consultants, tenants, and financiers.
This is where intent meets scale. As national and state-level commitments around energy intensity and emissions reduction sharpen, policy support will be a key enabler through well-designed frameworks that reward responsible choices.
Advancing sustainability through everyday design and delivery decisions means engaging in detailed conversations, design decisions, and trade-offs that don’t always make headlines. The opportunity for firms across the built environment lies in aligning commercial intent with long-term relevance. That requires better and more intentional solutions led by experience, informed by data, and grounded in partnership. The buildings we deliver reflect the standards we set, and as they evolve, so must the rigour with which we apply them.
About the Author
Vikas Rathod, Managing Director and CEO, Ensemble Infra India Ltd.
(India CSR)
