While it might sound clichéd to say that India is a country under construction, this description aptly fits the current scenario. Studies and experts almost unanimously agree - not the usual case - that India will need millions of houses in the next decade. Estimates suggest that over the next 10 years, India will require at least 100 million homes. Considering the growth of urbanisation, this number could rise to approximately 230 million new homes by 2047. The recently announced Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban 2.0 aims to construct 10 million homes for urban poor and middle-class families by 2029, with a subsidy of Rs 2.30 lakh crore.
The scheme introduces a promising financial incentive for driving this construction to be sustainable and resilient, through Technology Innovation Grants (TIG), which are offered to developers for adopting “modern, green and innovative technologies”.
However, there is definite potential for broadening the scope of TIGs. The Technology Sub-mission of the PMAY (U) 1.0 recommended 16 emerging technologies focused on speeding construction and reducing heat transfer. However, these technologies, like monolithic concrete, rely heavily on high embodied carbon materials. PMAY 2.0 could specify the use of LC3, a low-carbon cement, as a sustainable alternative in concrete construction. This could also boost LC3 manufacturing, building on the momentum of its recently released Indian Standard code.
Currently, only 16 lakh houses are being built with the recommended technologies. TIGs can widen the scope of the submission by including passive design strategies that protect against heat stress. These strategies are crucial for maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures and lowering energy bills, by reducing the active cooling demand. Since affordable housing developers do not provide appliances, the highest impact they can have on operational emissions is through such strategies. Encouraging passive design strategies can be achieved by requiring a GRIHA Affordable Housing 4 or 5-star rating for TIG eligibility.
There is a significant space for encouraging sustainability in self-built homes. Financial support for energy-efficient construction could be extended to the Beneficiary - Led Construction (BLC) vertical, wherein most PMAY houses are built. This support could include TIGs or subsidised low-carbon materials through district-level supply centres. These centres could purchase materials in bulk and offer them at reduced prices to make them affordable and support manufacturers. Educational material and training opportunities developed under the Climate Smart Buildings Programme of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs can further guide people in building their homes sustainably.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs recently published PRiTHVi, which provides passive-design solutions for both single-family and multi-family homes. Eco Niwas Samhita guidelines apply to large residential plots, whereas the single-family guidelines can apply to individual 30-60 sq m homes. These can be used by grassroots organisations or local officials to guide people in building their homes, meeting one of the two performance levels of “Prithvi” or “Swarna Prithvi”.
PMAY (U) 2.0 has incorporated the Affordable Rental Housing Complex scheme announced during the Covid-19 pandemic as a new vertical, which aims to provide affordable rental options to migrant workers. One model under ARH is converting existing government-funded vacant housing into rental housing, by public or private entities. The higher incentive under ARH provides an opportunity to encourage energy-efficient and disaster-resilient retrofits of the existing vacant building stock during its repair and degradation process.
This upgradation will take time, money and energy. To ensure positive returns on this significant investment that will go into upgrading vacant buildings into ARHs, many of which are currently on the urban periphery, they must be made locationally viable. Without public transport connectivity or access to economic and social infrastructure nearby, people living there will depend on private transport vehicles to travel long distances into the city, increasing their carbon footprint.
It also increases the possibility of vacancy and subsequent deterioration of the buildings, requiring further investments for maintenance in the future. Increasing connectivity and access to services and livelihood opportunities in the surrounding area will attract more of the target population to the ARHs and make the scheme fruitful.
PMAY guidelines require states/UTs to earmark Affordable Housing zones in their master plans, which is one way to recognise areas around ARHs that need special attention. To achieve PMAY’s goals, they must be integrated with the master planning and transport planning processes in cities, which determine where and how cities develop.
Housing is not only about houses; it is a comprehensive system of services that support life and livelihoods. Similarly, energy efficiency and green development are not only about adopting new technologies but also fostering a culture of responsible resource management. PMAY (U) 2.0 is an opportunity to incentivise these careful strategies and work together on the government’s interconnected goals for Housing for All and Thermal Comfort for All, moving closer to an urbanised society built on the pillars of affordability and low-carbon growth.