Guidelines on Water Efficient Measures for Residential Townships
Mumbai/Delhi, March 22nd, 2022: The guidebook from Mahindra-TERI Centre of Excellence (CoE), a joint research initiative of Mahindra Lifespaces® and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), highlights the crucial measures that can be adopted by the existing and upcoming residential townships in India to achieve water use optimization and efficiency.
Speaking during the launch of the guidebook at a virtual event, Mr. Sanjay Seth, Senior Director, TERI said, “Issues such as inadequate water supply, depleting groundwater table, growing water demand and its misuse in townships has become an area of concern over the years and has posed a challenge to building professionals and urban local bodies.”
Noting that it is crucial to spread awareness so that residences adopt sustainable practices to replenish and conserve water, Mr Seth added, “These guidelines are the outcome of the research study and water audits conducted by TERI under the Mahindra-TERI collaboration. Besides generating awareness on the aspects of water conservation and sustainable management, it also provides innovative and simple solutions to overcome the water related challenges faced in the townships.”
Mr. Viral Oza, Chief Marketing Officer, Mahindra Lifespaces, said, “At Mahindra Lifespaces, it is our constant endeavor to transform India’s urban landscape in a sustainable manner by innovating and adopting the most relevant practices. As a pioneer of green homes across India, we are committed to a collaborative and research-driven approach towards sustainable lifestyles and practices. In keeping with the World Water Day, we are launching a guidebook, developed with the same research-driven approach, to spread awareness about the best practices for water conservation and its efficient management in residential townships." Sustainable water use in habitats is one of the key areas of research of the Mahindra-TERI CoE, which aims to develop science-based solutions for India’s built environment. The guidelines can play a pivotal role in aiding townships to move on the path of becoming net water positive. It recommends measures that are innovative, practical and easy to implement as they have been developed after conducting thorough research and water audits of several townships across India to understand the issues and design solutions accordingly. The guidelines suggest sustainable design options, technologies, operation and maintenance measures that can be adopted for water related systems and infrastructure in the township and incorporate best practices by the user for attaining water efficiency.
The reference guide has developed a three-point approach framework which covers all the actions required in design and retrofits, operation and maintenance and user behavioral changes to develop a multifunctional and resilient water system for a facility. It stresses on three pointers – reducing water usage, harnessing alternative water sources and integrating green infrastructure – to achieve water efficiency in a residential township.
Research at the Mahindra-TERI CoE on sustainable water use in habitats is aligned to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 6: ‘sustainable water use’ adopted by the United Nations. It also aligns with Goal 4: ‘increasing water use efficiency by 20%’ identified under the National Water Mission.
The Mahindra-TERI CoE leverages state-of-the art research techniques, tools, and performance measurement solutions to boost the development of green buildings in India. The joint research initiative is working towards developing open-source and science-based solutions for India’s real estate sector.
About TERI
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is an independent, multi-dimensional research organization, with capabilities in policy research, technology development, and implementation. Headquartered in New Delhi, TERI has regional centres and campuses in Gurugram, Bengaluru, Guwahati, Mumbai, Panaji, and Nainital, supported by a multi-disciplinary team of scientists, sociologists, economists, engineers, administrative professional and state-of-the-art infrastructure. Learn more about TERI on www.teriin.org / Twitter and Facebook: @teriin
About Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd.
Established in 1994, Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd. is the real estate and infrastructure development business of the Mahindra Group, and a pioneer of sustainable urbanisation in India. The Company is committed to transforming India’s urban landscape through its residential developments under the ‘Mahindra Lifespaces®’ and ‘Mahindra Happinest®’ brands; and through its integrated cities and industrial clusters under the ‘Mahindra World City’ and ‘Origins by Mahindra World City’ brands.
The Company’s development footprint spans 26.9 million sq. ft. (2.5 million sq. m.) of completed, ongoing and forthcoming residential projects across seven Indian cities; and over 5000 acres of ongoing and forthcoming projects under development/management at its integrated developments/industrial clusters across four locations.
A pioneer of the green homes movement, Mahindra Lifespaces® is one of the first real estate companies in India to have committed to the global Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The Company’s developments are characterised by thoughtful design and a welcoming environment that enhance overall quality of life for both individuals and industries.
Learn more about Mahindra Lifespaces® at www.mahindralifespaces.com
About Mahindra
Founded in 1945, the Mahindra Group is one of the largest and most admired multinational federation of companies with 260,000 employees in over 100 countries. It enjoys a leadership position in farm equipment, utility vehicles, information technology and financial services in India and is the world’s largest tractor company by volume. It has a strong presence in renewable energy, agriculture, logistics, hospitality and real estate.
The Mahindra Group has a clear focus on leading ESG globally, enabling rural prosperity and enhancing urban living, with a goal to drive positive change in the lives of communities and stakeholders to enable them to Rise.
Learn more about Mahindra on www.mahindra.com / Twitter and Facebook: @MahindraRise/ For updates subscribe to https://www.mahindra.com/news-room
For further enquiries, please contact:
Ms P Anima and Mr Sumit Bansal,
Communications Team,
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
Email: animap@teri.res.in , sumit.bansal@teri.res.in