ACC Ltd has announced that the Company has extended financial Support to the construction of what is expected to turn out to be the most exemplary sustainable building on the Indian subcontinent. The building, based in New Delhi, will house the headquarters of Development Alternatives, a reputed non-government organization. Providing spaces for offices, training, conferences and technical research, the structure is being built by local workers using chiefly local materials that embody little energy. Refined passive and evaporation systems keep the building cool with minimum energy consumption, even in the hot climate. The building is also very user friendly-and its pioneering technologies can easily be adopted in other locations. With notable technical, environmental, social and cultural merit, the building will come to serve as a laboratory and testimonial for sustainable construction in tropical and subtropical zones.
Long-term partnership to improve rural livelihoods
Paul Hugentobler, Deputy Chairman of the Company and Holcim Executive Committee member explained: "Holcim, ACC and Development Alternatives pursue similar goals, The promotion of a sustainable society is for us more than lip service; on all continents Holcim seeks partnerships with Organizations that concretely contribute to sustainable improvement of livelihoods and habitats. We are looking forward to a long-term partnership with Development Alternatives and other like minded organizations that will enable Holcim and ACC to take an active lead within the Indian cement industry in establishing solutions for improved rural livelihoods."
ACC promotes sustainable construction
The Company has joined hands with the Swiss based Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction to promote and encourage sustainable construction projects as part of the Company"s nationwide programme for corporate social responsibility and to demonstrate its commitment to pursue sustainable development in India. Since inception, the Company has contributed significantly to promote the cause of good construction practices in various ways. These include training of masons, site visits to advise on proper usage of cement, comprehensive advise to homebuilders, restoration of heritage buildings and the publication of India"s first and only civil engineering magazine The Indian Concrete Journal.
Sumit Banerjee, Managing Director, the Company: "As a pioneer and trendsetter in cement and concrete, ACC is proud to be associated with a project that is innovative and likely to become a benchmark for large urban workspaces and building complexes. I am sure it will offer significant learning to students of architecture, civil engineering and town planning."
First co-funding project of Holcim Foundation
The Holcim Foundation is backed by the Holcim group, of winch the Company is now a part. The Foundation was established to support innovative approaches to sustainable construction worldwide - through global design competitions and international forums, and by financially supporting important research and construction projects. This is the first time that both the Company and the Holcim Foundation, have stepped forward with financial support amounting to Rs 1.30 crore equivalent to US$ 320,000 to a construction project.
Center for excellence in sustainable habitat
Development Alternatives, respected as a center for excellence in sustainable habitat, promotes commercially viable, environmentally friendly technologies and helps predominantly poor people to create sustainable habitats themselves. This NGO was founded by Dr. Ashok Khosla, one of the world"s leading experts in the environment and sustainable development. The architect of the project is Ashok B Lall, principal of a leading architectural firm in New Delhi and Dean of Studies at the TVB School of Habitat Studies.
Dr. Ashok Khosla, Chairman Development Alternatives, expressed his gratiture for the financial support "in the name of the millions who hope to have access to the kinds of materials and technologies that Development Alternatives is innovating."
Holcim Awards Competition For Sustainable Construction Projects
The Holcim Awards is a competition of the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction that is conducted at the national, regional, and global level. The competition celebrates innovative, future-oriented and tangible sustainable construction projects from around the globe and provides total prize money of USD 2 million. The second Holcim Awards competition cycle was launched this month, inviting architects, engineers and other specialists in the construction industry to submit projects that meet the challenges of sustainable construction. Projects may be submitted to the website of holcimawards up to February 29, 2008.
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