Showing posts with label Article. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Article. Show all posts

Monday, November 22, 2010

Sustainability And Indian Real Estate


Taking action on India’s environmental crisis is no longer an option – it is a necessity. Sustainable real estate presents India with an unique and enormous opportunity to make concrete progress in the country’s effort to improve its environment. There is greater consciousness towards the environmental crisis in India with terms such as sustainable development, corporate social responsibility and triple bottom reporting becoming more common in the real estate industry. Nevertheless, despite the ever rising construction activity, awareness of sustainability in India has significantly lagged behind countries in the West.

Even so, the Indian commercial sector has begun to make conscious efforts towards creating sustainable real estate. With support from the Indian government, a number of construction projects that are currently underway are registered with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). LEED is soon emerging as the preferred rating system as it is flexible enough to be applied to a diverse variety of markets and also because it enjoys the greatest recognition of the various international rating systems. This recognition is especially important when one considers that a prime motivator for developers to create a certified sustainable building is to differentiate their project from competition.

The government has introduced several schemes to encourage sustainability such as the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) schemes for subsidising capital for installation of solar water heaters, encouragement of energy audits and management schemes, mandatory use of fly ash-based construction material, groundwater and rain water harvesting and most importantly increased monitoring of air and water pollution.

Sustainable development can be achieved through synergy between developers and occupiers to establish goals, undertake audits and ascertain where savings and improvements can be made. We need to focus on high-impact, low-cost solutions that can be implemented within a realistic timeframe. The importance of educating occupiers on the impact their use of space will have on sustainability outcomes is integral to the success of a sustainability programme.

To properly educate developers, their patterns of behaviour must be changed to accommodate and reinforce any sustainability features that have been implemented in a building. The main objective of any education and communications program should be to encourage developers and occupiers to follow practices such as energy and water conservation, waste management and improve indoor air quality.

Gagan Singh, CEO – Projects and Development Services, Jones Lang LaSalle India

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Shamshabad the next hot spot


Over the past decade, we have witnessed changes – somecrests & some troughs in every aspect of our lives. Of course, this is in accordance with nature’s law – growth & change!

However when it comes to our jobs and lives, some of us are still in a comfort zone and no change is welcome. We are averse to face the unknown.

In the midst of all this, it is gratifying to know that there are some who aren’t afraid to operate outside the comfort zone to achieve a breakthrough. For them, every new invention or a shift is a result of breaking away from the paradigms of the past.

These are people with a purpose. They know that their existence on this planet is no accident. They are here to deliver a unique purpose through which they and the society will evolve. They are aware that every challenge is a ‘learning’ necessary to evolve and grow. Call them what you want to – Leaders, Gurus, Trendsetters, Modernizers! One such personality is Lion Dr Y Kiron.

A man who is always thinking ahead of his contemporaries, he is a true believer in the principles of Karma yogi. He is an active humanitarian being a life member of the Blue Cross

and is also the Deputy Director General of the International Biographical Council. When the entire nation is taking about real estate slump, this CEO of Suchir India Developers is busy redefining it.

True to its name, Suchir India has been a cornerstone of prosperity and growth. Suchir India Developers Pvt Limited, established in 2000, strode the real estate arena like a colossus.

This Company is:

- The first real estate company in the country to have ISO-9001:2000 quality standard certification

- The first real estate company rated as A3 by CRISIL for its outstanding performance

- The first real estate company to be part of the studio

In a brief chat with Property Guru, Dr Kiron gives us a glimpse of his journey & his take on real estate…

How did you start your real estate journey?

I started looking for government jobs about 13-14 years ago. I was preparing for an examination for which I moved to Warangal. At the same time I blindly applied for a sales manager’s post in a real estate company. But I forgot about it and soon I got through the examination and got a job in LIC. Just before signing the acceptance letter came the turning point of my life. I felt suffocated for a good 15 minutes and finally I changed my mind.

All I could do after joining this job was to retire as a branch manager. This was not where I wanted to be. I excused myself and entered the world of real estate which always fascinated me. I bought a piece of land out of my savings for Rs 6000 when I was in my 10th standard. And then it just grew on me…

What do you think will be the future of real estate?

Many companies enter the field with better strategies and change the scenario every now and then. Very soon the oceans should be a part of real estate. One just needs to learn how to evolve with the changing world!

What opportunities and trend do you see in property market?

Any thing booms, real estate booms! Every industry needs real estate at some or the other point. You must know how to align it for that particular one. Even if you want to set up a solar plant you need real estate.

How is AP market performing compared to other markets? What are its prospects?

The AP market has not been doing very well. We shall be in a better place once there is a little clarity about the political issues.

Township and mall culture has evolved in this IT city. What’s your take on this?

In my view, there is an over supply of malls. But there is good scope. Shamshabad is the next destination and will be hot property in the near future. Three or four universities are also coming up there.

With the slowdown in transactions here, do you think that many apartment projects?

The first real estate company to be part of the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) project builders are going out of the state for marketing their projects? We were already looking at properties outside. The Bangalore real estate market is mostly handled by people from Andhra. So, regardless of the present situation the work is quite widespread.

What initiatives can the government take for the benefit of real estate?

Real estate in Andhra Pradesh was mainly affected in January 2010. An international convention was to take place and investors from 40-45 countries were expected. But it was called off due to political unrest and later shifted to another city. This created a buzz in all circles of business and did a lot of damage to the industry in Hyderabad.

The government could have handled the situation better. At least, later they could have come up with campaigns to rebuild the trust of these investors. It is very necessary for people to believe it’s safe to invest here. But the government had no vision...

What are your goals? Any plans to diversify?

We have already explored some other fields. Along with real estate we are now into infrastructure, mining and hospitality. We have been working with the railway and flood relief agencies. The company is coming up with two resorts and an adventure park which will be the first of its kind. We are also getting into urban entertainment that should include theme parks, water parks, marriage halls and budget hotels.

Will the prices further drop? Or is the process of correction finally over?

The prices never dropped! The facilities were reduced and therefore people were being charged less. The entire package was marketed as cheaper but if you analyse it properly the charges were the same.

If Telangana state is formed and Hyderabad becomes part of that state, what signals will it send to the real estate industry?

Why is the issue being marketed in this manner? It’s not like we are shifting Hyderabad from where it is. The power centers and administration will be different. But the resources will be the same. It’s not like we are leaving the place. One must look at it from a more practical perspective instead of just get carried away by what people around are saying.

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