Australian Green Building delegation shares expertise with India

19 Oct 2010

A delegation of Australian ‘green building’ businesses visited India earlier this month to share expertise and offer the latest solutions for sustainable building.

Australia was the partner country at the CII – Green Business Centre’s Indian Green Buildings Congress 2010 in Chennai. The 52-member delegation was the largest ever in the building and construction sector to visit the sub-continent.

At the Congress, Austrade’s Deputy CEO, Peter Yuile, delivered the keynote address to over 1000 participants. Peter highlighted the Strategic Partnership which the Australian and Indian governments are committed to developing. He also spoke of the importance of the green building sector as one where the trade and economic relationship can be further broadened and deepened.

An exclusive session on Australian green building capabilities was also held. Speakers at this session included Australian experts in green building design, renewable energy and infrastructure management.

Consul General and Austrade Trade Commissioner, based in Chennai, Aminur Rahman said, “India is Australia's fastest growing export market. Australia has significant strengths in design, construction and management of green buildings as well as refurbishment of existing buildings in line with green building standards.

“With India’s green building movement picking up momentum, Australian companies can offer a range of products, technologies, expertise, services and project management capabilities for Indian companies in the design, construction and management of green buildings,” Mr Rahman said.

“The market for green building material and technologies in India will be worth US$40 billion by 2012, so there are significant opportunities for Australian businesses specialising in sustainable building,” he said.

A session with the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India included 80 leading property developers from South India, who are involved in more than a thousand projects in the region.

Key capabilities of the Australian sustainable building industry on show at the congress included sustainable architecture; building biology; energy efficient cooling, heating and lighting; grey water systems; intelligent building management systems; environmentally friendly building materials and equipment; natural and low VOC paints; recyclable and bio-degradable materials; water-saving devices and water tanks, among many others.

The delegation was arranged by Austrade in partnership with the State Government of Queensland and Victorian Government Department of Innovation Industry and Regional Development (DIIRD).