Emerging trends in Real estate sector- India 2012

Emerging trends in real estate
India | 2012

© Grant Thornton International. All rights reserved.

About the study

We are delighted to release "Emerging trends in real Key highlights
estate | India 2012" report as knowledge partner for
the 8th International Conference on Real Estate organised • the real estate sector in India is in a phase of
by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in New consolidation
Delhi.
• regulatory environment is evolving constantly to
promote and support this consolidation
The report is third in the series of collaboration between
Grant Thornton India LLP and CII that began in 2009- • a thought-out risk management framework has now
become an imperative
10. It strives to map industry opinions and interpretation
of the emerging trends in the real estate sector in India. • technology is the key to drive efficiency and take
the sector to the next level
The report is based on an online and interview-based • adopting green practices is no more an option, they
survey, and presents a mix of quantitative and qualitative are fast emerging as tools for sustainable and
analysis. harmonious growth in the long term

Survey participants' profile

28% 21% 19% 16% 9% 7%
CMD/MD CXO Government VP/Director Architect/Planner Academician

© Grant Thornton India LLP. All rights reserved. 4

Foreword

The real estate sector in India has come a long way from being dominated by a handful of players in the 90s to an
expanding base of developers, investors and global stakeholders buoyed by the growing construction industry in the
country. The sector has been undergoing corporatisation and professionalisation and recognised as a key sector
contributing to the economic development of the country.

After witnessing strong growth in 2010, the sector witnessed a slight correction in the year 2011. The downside for the
sector was a weakening in demand due to the global economic scenario, a slowdown in the domestic economic
conditions, escalation in input costs including interest costs and controversies over land acquisition. The current easing
stance of RBI has rejuvenated sentiments in the sector. However economic conditions can be termed challenging in the
short term. In the long run, urbanisation is inevitable and this will bring significant demand for real estate, and therefore
we are very optimistic about the sector‟s growth prospects.

The year 2012 has begun on a sluggish note for the Indian economy, with the GDP expanding by 5.3% in March 2012,
the lowest in nine years. However, the tough economic conditions have led developers to adapt quickly to the changing
economic situation. While developers in the commercial segment are offering flexible leasing terms to attract occupiers,
real estate companies in the residential space are concentrating on building affordable homes, thereby widening their
consumer spectrum.

Another factor that can help real estate companies tide over the difficult times would be the ability to judiciously use cash
by liquidating existing inventories. The government has taken initiatives such as relaxation in external commercial
borrowing norms, capping subsidies as a fraction of the GDP, new manufacturing and telecom policies to revive global
investor confidence. These steps are expected to generate positive results and will assist in generating investor inflows.

The government is committed to introducing FDI in multi brand retail, introduce changes in the existing SEZ policy to
resurrect developer interest and expand the role of the private sector in infrastructure development.


Foreword

Implementation of key economic reforms is likely to result in a gradual improvement in macro-economic conditions in
the coming few months. This, coupled with a slow and gradual economic recovery in the Eurozone, is likely to result into
a revival in demand in the real estate market.

To enable the stakeholders to have a clear perspective of the macro environment surrounding this sector, a survey was
conducted by CII and Grant Thornton India LLP. The results of the survey are included in this report, which also
presents broad themes for discussion in this Conference – regulatory environment, governance & risk management,
technology and green initiatives.

CII has been actively engaged with the real estate sector addressing their key issues relating to policy matter and
developing a roadmap to leverage the growth potential of this sector. The 8th International Conference on Real
Estate: REALTY 2012 is another step forward in this direction.

We convey our sincere thanks to all the respondents associated with the survey for their tremendous support and
valuable inputs. Hope that you would find this report insightful and enriching.

Anshuman Magazine Vishesh C. Chandiok
Conference Chairman National Managing Partner
Former Chairman, CII National Grant Thornton India LLP
Committee on Real Estate & Housing
Chairman & MD, CBRE South Asia
Pvt. Ltd


The complexity of cities

Cities are complex organic entities. The complexity of The challenge cities face is putting these pieces back together
the cityscape (see Figure on the next page) in part to deliver an integrated approach to sustainability.
derives from the diversity of stakeholders within cities,
including citizens, communities, local government, the This requires a complex governance process and collaboration
health service, universities, emergency services, between diverse parties to deliver city-wide agendas. If
transport authorities, housing associations, utilities,
defining and measuring sustainability has the potential to be a
large corporates and SMEs across a broad range of
sectors.
life‟s work, creating structures for consensus and engagement
around a common set of goals among these stakeholders
A city schematic in two dimensions underlines this could easily be another.
complexity. Organisational structures have become more
fragmented in both public and private sectors in recent
decades as responsibilities have been devolved and business
supply chains have become more complex and the players
more specialised.


Voluntary Voluntary
organisations organisations

Network

Network
Comms

Comms
Communities Communities

Corporates
Public
Districts Districts Waste
Resources sector Solid
Food Liquid
Transport Heat
Water
Power Bio
Co2
Comms Superstructure NOX
etc..

Power

Infrastructure

Cityscape


Developing sustainable cities

What does sustainability mean?
Grant Thornton defines sustainability as assessing the long- The social: a
term viability of a project, programme or initiative in terms The economic: which is the
good quality of life
of its use of resources and its environmental, social and requirement for the city to sustain its
for citizens, good
economic impacts. Clearly the key words are „long term‟ and competitive position and thrive in
public health,
„viable‟. business terms.
mechanisms to
tackle deprivation
There is plenty of room for debate. Nevertheless, both and inequality, and
businesses and public bodies are now making a strong link creation of an The environmental: which is about
between the sustainability of the environments in which they attractive both the physical envelope in which a
operate and their own long-term sustainability and viability. community or city exists, and the „footprint‟ of the
communities to city as it draws on basic resources.
The four pillars of sustainability
live in.
There are four key aspects to sustainability, which are widely
documented. They can be illustrated as „pivot of
The institutional dimension: This plays an interlocking or supporting
sustainability‟. role to the other „pillars‟ – creating sustainable institutions and
governance mechanisms which align with long term sustainability
objectives. The recent institutional history of India is one of profound
change, often leading to fragmentation and instability.

The relationships between the individual, the businesses that
sustain, the institutions that govern and the communities that
provide the social context, have changed beyond recognition in the
past two decades. Addressing the institutional, or governance
dimension, is therefore a major component of any sustainability
strategy.

Pivot of sustainability

A sustainable city measures itself at the moment in qualitative terms – by the
leadership and governance arrangements that are in place to ensure that the
characteristics of a sustainable city are funded, protected, influenced and managed
effectively. For example:

• what policy statements and commitments have been made to tackle climate change
and sustainability?
• how are these policies tied to the strategic long-term planning for the city?
• how informatively are carbon emissions and energy usage measured?
• how are responsibilities for climate change, energy use and sustainability managed
across the city?
• what level of collaboration exists between the city authorities, other public sector
bodies, third sector and businesses to deliver an agenda focused on the city itself?
• how successfully are behaviours being changed to move towards households and
businesses becoming sustainable? And what is the role played by communities in
this process?

Regulatory environment: the changing
dynamics

Regulatory environment: the changing dynamics

Finance has unequivocally been the biggest challenge for the retrospective effect from 01 April 1962 amended section 9 of
real estate sector of India. Hardening of interest rates has a the Income-tax Act, 1961 (ITA) to tax the indirect transfer of
major impact on the borrowing costs of the developers. At an asset in India.
the same time, it has affected demand for real estate, which is
largely driven by bank finance. Also with the inclusion of GAAR in the ITA (the applicability
of which is deferred by one year), the tax authorities have been
The real estate sector was looking forward at the Budget 2012 granted the wide ranging powers with respect to certain kinds
to come with some major policy decisions, such as the long of transactions if the main purpose or one of the main
standing demand of granting realty sector an industry status, purpose of a transaction of a part of the transaction is to avail
which would have eased the borrowing cost and avenues for tax benefit. The introduction of GAAR by the Budget 2012
raising funds for the developers; an upward revision of the was widely criticised internationally. One of the biggest
present limit of Rs. 1.5 lakh on interest cost deductibility on concerns was that onus of proving lack of tax avoidance was
self-occupied houses; re-introduction of profit based on the assesse.
deduction for affordable housing and to exclude real estate
development from the purview of service tax. However, the FM has assured that the onus would be on the
department. There would be more clarity as events unfolds
General Anti-Avoidance Rule (GAAR) from now till the next fiscal when GAAR becomes applicable
Mounting levels of fiscal deficit in the Indian economy has and the guidelines are framed for its application. The success
put tremendous pressure on the Finance Ministry. In order to of an anti-abuse measure lies in astute selection and vigilantly
control it the income tax authorities have adopted a pro- supervised employment. The real estate sector will have to
revenue attitude like never before. bear the brunt of GAAR as due to business and regulatory
(such as land ceiling) needs, the transactions are structured in a
The Supreme Court (SC) settled, what was arguably the most manner that involve several steps and/or entities. One only
eagerly tracked tax litigation in recent times, the case of hopes that there would be some free play in the joints and the
Vodafone International Holdings BV vs. Union of India unassailable evidence of commercial prudence for each
wherein the SC held that an indirect transfer would not be transaction is not required to be maintained.
taxable in India. However the Finance Act 2012 with


The recent growth in the Indian economy has stimulated The Bill also provides for establishment of an Appellate
demand for land and developed real estate across the country. Tribunal to adjudicate disputes and hear appeals from the
Taking into consideration the rising demand for residential, decisions or orders of the Authority.
commercial and retail real estate, the Finance Bill 2012 had
proposed insertion of section 194LAA in the ITA to deduct
tax by way of TDS @ 1% on consideration for transfer of Some of the key provisions of the Bill are:
immovable property (other than agricultural land) if the value • mandatory registration with the Real Estate
of the property exceeds Rs. 50 lakh in urban areas and Rs. 20 Regulatory Authority for any project to be spread
lakh if the property is situated in any other areas. over 4,000 square meters
• the real estate developer shall be required to
The genesis behind such proposed amendment seems to be to deposit at least 70% of the funds received from end
reduce the flow of black money in the market and ensure customers into a dedicated project account, which
can be utilised only for the purposes of the project
reliable data collection, apart from collection of tax at the • no advance can be received without entering into
earliest point on transactions of immovable properties. an agreement with the customer. Sales opportunity
However the proposal was dropped deferring to the plea that through pre-sales/soft launch may be curtailed
it will put extra compliance burden on the consumer. • registration can be extended only up to two years
beyond the original period for development granted
Real Estate (Regulations & Development) Bill, by the local licencing authority
2011 • mandatory web-presence of the developer on the
Of late, the Government reintroduced the Real Estate authority‟s website
(Regulations & Development) Bill, 2011, the exposure draft • the Authority has the power to take over
development work etc, in case of lapse/cancellation
of which was available for comments. The bill seeks to of the registration
establish the Real Estate Regulatory Authority for regulation
and planned development in the real estate sector. The
objective of the Authority shall be to take all possible
measures for the growth and promotion of a healthy,
transparent, efficient and competitive real estate sector.


In overall, the efforts of the Government are otherwise Real estate development (especially housing which has a
laudable and the consumer would benefit by increase in sale model) is capital intensive but the investment is not a
transparency and regulations. However, there is a need for 'Capital expenditure'. Realising this, now a weighted
reforms on the matters related to land title and registration. deduction of 150% of capital expenses has been
Without the digitisation of land records, the condition itself introduced.
may be ineffective. Further, though a mechanism for
registration within 30 days has been introduced in the Bill, The Income Tax rules provide that for a project to
there may be a reduction of supply due to delayed and denied qualify under affordable housing scheme, it has to fulfil
registrations. certain conditions.

Major amendments by the Finance Act 2012 –
Real Estate Some of the key conditions are as follows:
The slabs for individual taxation have been raised only a little • the project shall have the prior sanction of the
competent authority
bit and the consequent tax saving will be too insignificant to • the project shall be on a plot of land which has a
provide additional funds to young first time home buyers, minimum area of one acre
whose share in the customer base of residential real estate is • the layout and specifications including design of the
increasing. Transfer pricing provisions, which were thus far project to be developed and built shall be approved
applicable only on international transactions, would now be by the State or Union Territory Government or its
applicable on specified domestic transactions between related designated implementing agency
parties. Now transactions with the related parties will have to • the project shall be completed within a period of 5
years from the end of the financial year in which the
be benchmarked to demonstrate that they are at arm‟s length. project is sanctioned by the competent authority
In the last year 100% upfront deduction of capital
expenditure incurred prior to the commencement of business
of “developing and building a housing project under a
scheme for affordable housing formed by the central
government or a state government” was introduced.



Further, realising the need to fund low-cost housing and in Floor Space Index (FSI)
order to make the scheme of affordable housing more The Planning Commission in its recent report has
feasible, the Government extended the benefit of External recommended vertical growth of Indian cities by selectively
Commercial Borrowing (ECB) to affordable housing project. providing additional FSI beyond the permissible index at an
Further the budget also extended a beneficial rate of only 5% extra charge of at least 50% of the area/ circle rates.
on interest to non-residents who fund such projects.
In the present scenario, FSI values in India vary from city to
Affordable housing thus continues to be the focus of the city however on an average it ranges between 1 and 4
Government. An enhancement in the scope of deduction for (including all product mix – residential, commercial, retail etc.).
the business of developing and building housing project However, this is far below considering other cities in the
under the scheme for affordable housing framed by the world; for example FSI in New York and Manhattan is 15, in
Government will lead to a consequent increase in the Shanghai it is 13.1 and in Hong Kong (Central Business
investment in this sector. District area) it ranges up to 15.

The rate of service tax and excise has been increased. It is With respect to Indian cities, the concept of low rise-low
anticipated that the increase in the rate of excise on steel and density has worked well considering the fact that sufficient
cement (along with the increase in service tax) will push the land was available for horizontal growth. However with the
price, by approximately 1.5%. With the ever increasing exponential population growth and limited availability of land
inventory, the industry may find it difficult to pass on the parcels for urban/ rural sprawl, going vertical with high rise-
additional tax cost to the consumer. high density seems to be an optimal solution. But this
underlines the need for increased and stronger infrastructure
considering additional load on services such water, electricity,
sewage, parking and most important security.



Urban planning in India, which is largely based on low rise- 1. Mumbai: TDR concept
low density principle, has now led to either sprawl or even The transfer of development rights (TDR) concept was
worse, a situation of informal densification without any introduced in Mumbai through regulation no. 34 (Appendix
supporting infrastructure. However, in smaller cities the VII) in the Development Control Regulations for Greater
prescription of setbacks and building height generally governs Bombay 1991.
the built up area.
Need for TDR in Mumbai
The first consideration of low FSI in Indian cities has been The urban local body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal
the prevailing carrying capacity of basic amenities such as Corporation (BMC), is responsible for the development and
water, power, drainage, parking, transport and provision of public amenities as per the provision of 12th
communication, and the second has been that low FSI shall schedule of 74th Constitutional Amendment Act.
limit the population size of the city. Despite all shortcomings,
the cities kept growing. Extraordinary low FSI in certain cities Due to finance-related constraints, BMC could not acquire
like Mumbai and Delhi has even led to an artificial increase in land for public amenities from private owners. In a few cases
the land prices and rental values. the corporation attempted to provide monetary compensation
to the owner in lieu of the land acquired but that was felt to be
Various cities have tried different mechanisms to increase FSI inadequate. Hence the concept of TDR was introduced as an
and in turn devise a system to improve the spending for alternative to monetary compensation.
infrastructure development to cater to the needs of additional
population coming in the area due to the result of increased To rehabilitate slums, the Government of Maharashtra
FSI. introduced TDR as an incentive to attract developers to the
slum redevelopment scheme and slum rehabilitation scheme
where an owner or a builder redevelops slums free of cost and
gets TDR as an incentive.



Permissible FSI 3. Andhra Pradesh – Limitless FSI
The permissible FSI, including the TDR on a plot, has a Andhra Pradesh is one state that does not limit vertical growth
maximum capping of 2. The permissible base FSI in the and where there is no limit on the FSI. However to check the
suburbs was 1 with a balance of 1 to be utilised for TDR. The pressure on the existing infrastructure in the surrounding area
base FSI has been increased from 1 to 1.33, hence reducing an additional fee called the “Infra Impact Fee” is charged in
the TDR component to 0.67. The additional 0.33 FSI can be case a building is required to go beyond the specified height in
utilised on a payment of an amount (30% to 40% of the land that particular area as per the building bye-laws.
value) fixed by BMC.
In this case the additional FSI can be built by paying an infra
It allows the BMC to finance the infrastructure required to support
the increased FSI in the receiving areas and controls the flow of
impact fee to the tune of Rs. 30-50 per square feet (on an
TDR in the market. average, it may differ from area to area). This additional
collection by the corporation is then utilised to improve the
infrastructure of that area.
2. FSI bank: Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), ‘G’ –
Block (Mumbai) - 2009
An additional built-up space was generated following the The change has impacted the skyline of many cities in the
government decision to hike FSI at BKC from 2 to 4. The state and there is a visible shift from FSI of 1.75 (prior to 2006
revised availability of built up space in G-block provided 23 – when the new regulation came into being) to 4 to 6 in
lakh square metre of construction space. peripheral cities and 3 to 4 in cities. Though there can be an
endless list to the above, the question still remains the same,
Under the previous FSI norm of 2, the built up space was are the cities of India ready to go vertical with the existing
8 lakh square metre. Moreover, this move also resulted in an situation of urban infrastructure?
estimated revenue of Rs. 13,000 crore from the sale of extra
built-up space.



Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Under our Constitution, land has been recognised as a State
Resettlement Bill (LARR), 2011 subject however, land acquisition is a concurrent subject. Till
Development along with urbanisation demands for land date, before the draft LARR was introduced, the basic law
acquisition at one point or the other. Considering the scarcity governing land acquisition has been Land Acquisition Act,
of land and growing pressure on the existing infrastructure, 1894. Although there are 18 other such laws of the central
efforts have been to try other initiatives like increasing the FSI government for land acquisition (like for SEZ‟s, railways,
or increasing the density in the given areas to cater to growing defence, highways, etc.), the draft LARR shall enjoy the
population, however additional land shall still be required as primacy over such specialised legislations that are currently in
many cities have reached the threshold of their carrying force. This draft Bill shall be in addition to and not in
capacities. derogation of the existing safeguards currently provided for in
these laws.
To cater to such needs either private parties buy land
themselves or government helps in land acquisition
particularly for public purposes, however it has never been a FDI in organised retail sector
smooth process and project affected people have more or less
In January 2012, the Department of Industrial Policy and
been neglected or under compensated. This has given rise to Promotion (DIPP) permitted 100% FDI in Single Brand Retail
agitation and in worst situations, it results in stalled projects. Trade (SBRT) under Government approval as against the
current limit of 51% FDI in SBRT. All the key features of the
With regards to public welfare and development needs, land policy liberalisation have been retained along with the following
acquisition has to be a fair mechanism, which ensures that additional clarifications/ modifications:
there is no loss of livelihood of the affected people. In order
• with respect to proposals involving FDI beyond 51%,
to facilitate land acquisition along with proper compensation
mandatory sourcing of at least 30% of the value of products
mechanism Draft Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and sold would have to be done from Indian 'small industries/
Resettlement Bill (LARR), 2011 was introduced by the village and cottage industries, artisans and craftsmen'
Government. • 'small industries' would be defined as industries which have a
total investment in plant & machinery not exceeding
US$ 1 million



Need for a new Law Scope of LARR, 2011
Though there have been amendments in the original Land a) Land Acquisition and R& R provisions shall apply under
Acquisition Act, the principal law continues to be the same the conditions as below:
which is outdated and requires more focus on the need of the • land acquisition by the government for its own use, hold
country. There has been no national/ central law to provide and control
for resettlement, rehabilitation and compensation due to land • land acquisition by the government to be transferred to
acquisition. private companies for stated public purpose (including PPP
projects but other than national highway projects)
LARR, in this scenario, attempts to address the concerns of • land acquisition by the government for immediate and
farmers and those who are dependent on land being acquired declared use by private companies for public purpose
and facilitate land acquisition to cater to need of urbanisation,
industrialisation and growing demand for infrastructure b) Only R & R provisions shall be applicable under the
development. conditions as below:
• partial land acquisition by government for private
companies for public purposes
• buying of land by private companies on their own for equal
to or more than 100 acres

Though there have been many checks and balances imbibed in
the new Bill to resolve the concerns pertaining to project-
affected people, there may be a threat towards notional
increase in the land prices as according to the bill it implies “in
case of urban areas the compensation amount would be
not less than twice that of the market value so
determined and in rural areas it would not be less than
six times the original market value”.



Revised Guidance Note on recognition of revenue Key changes
by real estate developers The scope of the Guidance Note has been significantly
The real estate sector in India has been evolving consistently enlarged to capture all models/ structure of transactions
over the past few years. This transition from being a highly including sale of development rights, joint development
unorganised business to an organised sector underlines the arrangements and transactions involving exchange of land
need to review varied accounting practices being followed by with developed property.
the real estate companies.
Definition of project: As per para 2.1, a project is defined as
The introduction of the “Guidance Note on Accounting for “a group of units/plots/saleable spaces which are linked with
Real Estate Transactions” by the Institute of Chartered a common set of amenities in such manner that unless the
Accountants of India (ICAI) is a step forward in addressing common amenities are made available and functional, these
subjectivity and ambiguity in a number of areas, and is all units/ plots/ saleable spaces cannot be put to their intended
likely to bring uniformity in accounting practices. The Note, effective use”. A larger venture can be split into small projects
which supercedes the existing Guidance Note issued in 2006, if the basic conditions as set out.
will also ensure comparability of financial statements.
The pre-conditions to be satisfied for Revenue Recognition are
The objective of this Guidance Note is to recommend the as follows:
accounting treatment by enterprises dealing in 'real estate‟ as • all critical approvals necessary for commencement of the
sellers or developers. project have been obtained
• expenditure incurred on construction and development is
higher than 25% of the construction cost (excluding land
cost)
• at least 25% of the saleable project area is secured by
eligible contracts or agreements
• at least 10% of the total amount collectible in respect of an
agreement to sell (ATS) has been so collected at reporting
date


Revenue should be recognised for "legally enforceable Impact on the tax assessments: One of the key
contracts" only when there are no outstanding defaults of the considerations of this change should be acceptability of the
payment terms in such contracts. proposed accounting principles by the income tax authorities.

Way forward Communication with stakeholders: On deferral of revenue,
Transition: long term projects where even a small portion of some of the debt covenants may get broken. Time and
revenue has been recognised before 1 April 2012, will be effective communication with different stakeholders is going
continue to be accounted for on the basis of the existing to be a key in managing the transition to the new accounting
guidance note. For the initial years, the companies may have rules.
to keep two separate revenue recognition computations – for
projects pre and post the implementation of the revised GN "This new accounting development is a welcome step for
the companies in the real estate sector. Apart from
bringing in some common set of principles for accounting,
Project: Identification of common set of amenities within a these new accounting rules will also take into
project would be key for evaluating the project definition. consideration the current uncertainties impacting the
Resultantly any reassessment of project definitions may lead sector and shall ensure a more realistic picture of
to significant changes in the revenues/ profit calculations. revenues for these companies."

David Jones
Payment defaults: It is not clear if post balance sheet date Partner & Practice Leader – Real Estate
defaults or payments to be considered. A complete track of Walker, Chandiok & Co
the defaults made by the customers need to be maintained on
a real time basis. Recognised revenues may result in
subsequent reversal adjustments as a result of delayed cash
inflows.



Delhi Master Plan 2021 Master Plan 2001 to develop an urban plan that was integrated
Urban planning is core to the development of sustainable with the projected need of housing in the national capital. This
cities, which have sufficient resources and infrastructure to Plan, which is commonly known as the Master Plan 2021, was
support continuous increase in population. The steps leading notified on 07 February 2007.
to the creation of sustainable cities need to be augmented
with provisions for adequate and sustainable human With the passing of the National Capital Territory of Delhi
settlements and services to support rapid urbanisation. In Laws (Special Provisions) Second Bill, 2011, the deadline of
recent times, the phenomenal rate of urbanisation and finalising policies for achieving the Master Plan‟s targets have
migration has exposed cities to the challenges of urban been extended for three years to 31 December 2014. The
planning and governance. Suffering from a lack of urban Ministry of Urban Development plans to utilise the extended
infrastructure, cities succumb to the issues emanating from time buffer provided by the Bill to review the Master Plan
the proliferation of urban slums, squat and informal 2001, and modify it to chart an urban plan that complies with
settlements. the pace of increasing population in the city in the next 25
years.
Following the enactment of the Delhi Development Act 1957
to streamline the process of planned development in the To develop a visionary plan that supports the development of
national capital, the Government drew up the Master Plan of the national capital as a global metropolis, the Government is
Delhi in 1962. Widely considered as one of the first steps also using remote sensing and GIS (Global Information
towards modern planning in India, the Plan was prepared System) tools. The mapped data would be used to ascertain the
with a perspective of 20 years. In order to cater to the pattern of increasing population, and detect and prevent
changing requirements of the city, the Plan was amended encroachment on public land. Further, the data will be
under Section 11A of the DDA Act. consistently updated in order to monitor the success of the
Master Plan. The Master Plan also aims at delineating policies
Known as the Master Plan 2001, the modified Plan was especially targeted for the protection of green belts and
approved by the Government in 1990. Further, the conservation of heritage infrastructure of Delhi.
Government undertook the modification and revision of the



The Plan also intends to explore the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and monitoring, the Master Plan aims to explore options for
laws to optimise the monetisation of the available land, developing housing projects with amenities better suited to
innovative models of Public Private Partnership (PPP), etc. As meet the challenges of urban planning in the national capital.
part of the initial review of the Plan, the prevailing guidelines
for land use, floor area allotment, regulation in influence zone Guide for achieving slum free vision
along metro lines and industrial areas, notification of new The Master Plan will serve as a guide for all action towards its
commercial and industrial areas, etc. are being evaluated. aim to provide rehabilitation in the form of built-up houses
with all civic amenities to the slum dwellers of the city. With
Delhi Master Plan 2021 is poised to revamp the national an intent to reinforce the capacity of the city to deal with the
capital with sweeping changes and aims to transform the city issue of unauthorised development of slums and other
into a world-class city which provides its people with a informal dwellings, 23 slum areas have been identified by the
sustainable environment. The guiding principle of the Master Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for rehabilitation of
Plan is to use the 27,628.9 hectares of unutilised land in the dwellers living in these areas in sub-standard conditions.
city for achieving its objective of making the city slum-free,
and to develop residential units equipped with essential civic The road ahead
amenities, within a span of 10 years. As per the latest Once ready and implemented, the Delhi Master Plan 2021 is
estimates provided by the Ministry of Housing and Urban expected to provide holistic benefits to the city, in the form of
Development, the national capital will face a scarcity of about amenities better suited to suffice the needs of its ever-
24 lakh dwelling units for housing an estimated 23 million burgeoning population, and an infrastructural framework that
people by the end of 2021. is conducive to the economic growth of the national capital.
However, the success of the Master Plan 2021 in realising the
The Master Plan, which is to be re-implemented with the land vision of making Delhi a global metropolis is subject to the
development policy, intends to ease the pressure on urban implementation of strategies, schemes, guidelines, policies and
planning in the city, including congestions and shortages of programmes. Further, it is imperative to enforce a monitoring
civic amenities, by constructing residential projects. Structured process at every stage of the implementation cycle to not only
over distinct sequential stages such as social and physical evaluate and validate the enactment of the Master Plan with
infrastructure, mixed land-use regulations, development code the established goals, but also to realign strategies to overcome
its shortcomings.

Industry point of view
Does the increase in supply, due to increased Floor Space Index (FSI) would Should the FSI be incremental based on the ratio of the population of the city
result in crash of land prices in Delhi? to the city area or should it be constant for tier I, II and III cities?

Definitely Yes: 14% Definitely Not: 20% Yes for second option – Strongly agree: 6% Yes for second option – Agree: 18%
Maybe: 52% Can't say: 14% Yes for first option – Agree: 41% Yes for first option – Strongly agree: 35%

14% Definitely Yes
41% Yes for first option – Agree


Should the FSI be constant throughout the city for a particular product mix Will the concept of selling additional FSI (if so increased) to developers at a
(residential/ commercial, etc) or it may vary within the city limits depending premium price be welcomed by the developers in Delhi? Since this additional
on the predefined parameters? If yes, then what should be the parameters money so coming to the DDA will help in infrastructure development.
(example density, location, connectivity, etc)?

Yes for second option – Strongly agree: 23% Yes for second option – Agree: 27% Definitely Yes: 34% Definitely Not: 10%
Yes for first option – Agree: 31% Yes for first option – Strongly agree: 19% Maybe: 46% Can't say: 10%

Yes for first option – Agree
31% 46% Maybe


Will the new Rehabilitation & Resettlement (R&R) Bill solve the problem of
project affected people or will it add to the increase in the land prices?

Definitely Not, it will add to the increase in land Definitely Yes, it will solve the problem of
prices: 14% project affected people: 25%
Maybe: 38% Can't say: 23%

Definitely Yes
25%

Which of these proposed covenants of the Draft Real Estate (Regulation
& Development) Bill do you find to be the most regressive:

After the expiry of the initial project No advance can be received without entering
period, maximum of only two years into an agreement with the customer. The sales
extension is provided. There is no opportunity through pre-sales/soft launch is
specific provision for exigencies curtailed, as typically builders buyers agreement
and exceptional circumstances: is executed only after first few advance
15% payments have been made: 17%

Each project needs to be The requirements to keep 70% of the amounts
registered with a regulatory realised for project in a separate account and
authority. An industry which is use it only for the purposes of the project. This
already reeling under multiple limits the ability of the developer to effectively
approvals, an additional manage the treasury: 20%
registration requirement has been
introduced instead of making it a
single window registration: 47%

Each project needs to be registered with a
regulatory authority. An industry which is
already reeling under multiple approvals, an
47% additional registration requirement has been
introduced instead of making it a single
window registration


Managing risks for a long-term
sustainability

Managing risks for a long-term sustainability

Sound corporate governance is critical to positive This has created a need for companies to introspect and work
valuation outcomes for both public and private real out a framework for improved governance. Doing this will
estate companies. If the enterprise is publicly traded, help them in optimising their internal efficiencies and manage
its rigorous focus on effective governance is mandated risks successfully to face the ever increasing challenges in this
stringently by regulations, which set high standards for dynamic environment.
corporate transparency, internal organisational
controls and executive accountability.
The increasing investor, regulatory, and public concern
regarding corporate governance makes this an opportune time
A public company‟s management is responsible for assessing
for real estate companies to assess the quality and structure of
the quality, comprehensiveness and accuracy of internal
their governance framework.
corporate controls and financial reporting practices. In
addition, the company‟s external auditors are expected to
The quality of corporate governance can be an important
express an independent opinion relative to management‟s
driver of shareholder value as companies with strong
assertions concerning the quality, comprehensiveness and
governance systems have always outperformed their peers in a
effectiveness of those controls and practices.
wide range of settings. The composition and structure of
corporate boards have been instrumental in determining the
The present day challenges of the real estate sector are
companies‟ ability to cope and react to situations such as
increasingly complex and diverse. The industry is facing the
declining operating margins, and increasing internal and
headwinds of recent regulatory changes, inflation, declining
external risks, external challenges like regulatory changes, etc.
demand, scarcity of skilled manpower, high cost of finance,
stagnating selling prices and increasing land cost. Also,
Corporate governance has to be perceived as a big opportunity
maintaining credibility while meeting customer expectations in
for real estate companies in order to improve their enterprise
terms of quality and timely delivery is another major
value.
challenge plaguing the sector.



Fundamentals of a sound corporate governance • meeting the need for information of a modern investment
structure community is also paramount in terms of accountability
What constitutes sound corporate governance will evolve in and attracting capital. Presenting a company‟s financial and
the light of the changing circumstances of a company and non-financial position requires processes that safeguard,
must be tailored to meet those circumstances. both internally and externally, the integrity of company
reporting
An in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of corporate • exercising effective oversight and internal control to manage
governance is essential for establishing a sound corporate the uncertainty and risk inherent in business
governance framework. These fundamentals include the • providing rewards and incentive schemes to attract skills
below: and talent into the company
• establishing the roles of senior executives and the board • achieving the benchmark performance expected by various
• maintaining a balance of skills, experience and stakeholders
independence on the board, which is appropriate to the
nature and extent of the company‟s operations
• ensuring integrity among those who can influence a
company‟s strategy and financial performance, as well as
responsible and ethical decision-making, while taking into
account not only the legal obligations but also the interests
of the stakeholders
• providing a timely and balanced picture of all material
matters
• clearly recognising and upholding the rights of company
owners, that is its shareholders



Establishing an efficient corporate governance Structure the board to add value
structure within the organisation Companies should have a board having an effective
Lay down solid foundations for management and composition, size and commitment to adequately discharge its
oversight responsibilities and duties.
Companies should recognise and disclose the respective roles
and responsibilities of the board and management. • an effective board is one that facilitates the effective
discharge of duties imposed by law on the directors, while
The company‟s governance framework should be designed to: adding value in a way that is appropriate to the company‟s
• enable the board to provide strategic guidance to the circumstances. The board should be structured in such a
company and effective oversight to the management way that it:
• clarify the respective roles and responsibilities of board  has a proper understanding of, and competence to deal
members and senior executives in order to facilitate their with, the current and emerging issues of the business
accountability to both the company and its shareholders  exercises independent judgement
• ensure a balance of authority so that no single individual  encourages enhanced performance of the company
has unfettered powers  can effectively review and challenge the performance of
the management
Companies should recognise and disclose the functions
reserved for the board and those delegated to senior
executives.



Promoting ethical and responsible decision- Companies should establish and disclose a code of
making conduct pertaining to:
Companies should actively promote ethical and • the practices necessary to maintain confidence in the
responsible decision-making. company‟s integrity
To be successful, companies need to have regard for their • the practices necessary to take into account their legal
legal obligations and interests of a range of stakeholders obligations and the expectations of their stakeholders
including shareholders, employees, business partners, • the responsibility and accountability of individuals for
creditors, consumers, the environment and the broader reporting and investigating reports of unethical practices.
community in which they operate. It is important for
companies to demonstrate their commitment through “It’s hard to think of a time when corporate governance
appropriate corporate practices and decision-making. was more important for Indian real estate companies.
While the sector is growing significantly, there is
Companies should:
increasing competition, both buyers and institutional
• clarify the standards of ethical behaviour required from the investors have more choice and all stakeholders are
board, senior executives and all employees, and encourage getting cautious. A major differentiator is how well a
the observance of those standards company demonstrates transparency, efficient use of
• comply with their legal obligations and have respect to the money and business process effectiveness for quality and
timely project execution. It is for this reason that
expectations of their stakeholders
governance framework and risk management in real estate
is now much more than just a means to regulatory
compliance.”

Lav Goyal
Partner & Practice Leader - Business Risk Services
Grant Thornton Advisory Private Limited


The importance of transparency
While there are various reasons for the position in which the real estate sector finds itself
today, there should be no question that improved transparency is required.

Real estate has emerged as a mainstream investment asset class, with explosive growth in
cross-border capital investment via direct equity and indirect asset-backed capital markets
products. Within this context of globally distributed and highly leveraged real estate risk
exposure, the bursting of the real estate asset bubble yielded disastrous consequences for
many investors and lenders.

A lack of investment in market transparency and risk management has allowed asset
performance data to remain siloed, tangled, disparate and error-prone. Data inconsistency,
incompleteness and fragmented information flows mean that investors are making business
decisions with a limited grasp of the far-reaching financial, risk and compliance implications.

While the boom years for real estate allowed this situation to proliferate, today‟s market
pressures on asset valuations and profit margins, combined with a tsunami of regulations,
make appropriate risk management and true investment transparency a prerequisite for
attracting and retaining capital going forward. Successful investors will be the ones who can
retrieve accurate data, translate it consistently and present it according to user requirements.


Safeguarding integrity in financial reporting • company announcements are factual and presented in a
Companies should have a structure to independently verify clear and balanced way. “Balance “requires disclosure of
and safeguard the integrity of their financial reporting. both positive and negative information

This requires companies to put in place a structure for review Companies should establish and disclose written policies and
and authorisation designed to ensure the truthful and factual procedures designed to ensure compliance statutory disclosure
presentation of the company‟s financial position. The requirements and to ensure accountability at a senior executive
structure would include, for example: level for that compliance.
• a review mechanism that also considers financial
statements by the audit committee Recognise and manage risk
• a process to ensure the independence and competence of Companies should establish a sound system of risk oversight,
the company‟s external auditors risk management and internal control.
• a structure that does not diminish the ultimate
responsibility of the Board to ensure the integrity of the Risk management is the culture, processes and structures that
company‟s financial reporting. The board should establish are directed towards taking advantage of potential
an audit committee opportunities while managing potential adverse effects.

Make timely and balanced disclosures A risk management system should be designed to:
Companies should promote timely and balanced disclosure of • identify, assess, monitor and manage risks related to the
all material matters with regards to the company. clear title of land, compliance to the various statutory
norms, adherence to the tight project schedules, frequent
Companies should put in place mechanisms designed to design changes, improper construction planning, frequent
ensure compliance with the requirements such that: changes in the prices of steel and cement, improper
• all investors have equal and timely access to material reporting and monitoring of the projects, inadequate labour
information pertaining to the company force to ensure timely completion of work at the sites, and
• the information shall include its financial position, to manage timely availability of the material at the sites
performance, ownership and governance


• identify inadequate tracking of the material being used in It is important that there be a clear relationship between
construction activities, inadequate quality inspection of the performance and remuneration, and that the policy underlying
material used/ installed and material changes to the executive remuneration be understood by investors. The board
company‟s risk profile should establish a remuneration committee.
• provide solutions to enhance the environment for
identifying and capitalising on opportunities that create Conclusion
value Corporate governance is a big opportunity for real estate
companies to effectively manage risks, improve compliances
Risk profile and optimise process efficiencies and costs. This can help
The board should establish policies on risk oversight and companies to meet customer expectations in terms of quality
management. It should set out the company‟s appetite for risk and timeliness of delivery thus helping them to outshine in the
and have regard to the material business risks faced by the industry by enhancing credibility.
company as identified by the company‟s risk management
system. The risk profile should be regularly updated and
reviewed.

Remunerate fairly and responsibly
Companies should ensure that the level and composition of
remuneration is sufficient and reasonable and that its
relationship to performance is clear.

The awarding of remuneration is a key area of focus for
investors. When setting the level and structure of
remuneration, a company needs to balance its desire to attract
and retain senior executives and directors.


Do you feel that formal risk management process helps the real estate Does your company runs a formal risk management process?
business?

Disagree: 7% Strongly disagree: 7% Yes: 47% No: 53%
Agree: 55% Strongly agree: 31%

Agree
86% 53% No


Does categorisation of risks based on the risk appetite supports the objective Does a robust process for monitoring company’s risk appetite help
of the business? approaching organisational objectives in a better way?

Disagree: 6% Strongly agree: 10% Strongly disagree: 2% Disagree: 7%
Agree: 84% Agree: 84%% Strongly agree: 7%

Agree
84% 84% Agree


Does effective mitigation planning across departments help company control Do you support having an established risk culture without documenting the
the risks in a timely manner? risk strategy?

Disagree: 7% Strongly agree: 28% Disagree: 9% Strongly agree: 26%
Agree: 65% Agree: 65%%

Agree
93% 91% Agree


How are the risk management strategy and/or policy applied in practice? Does risk management believed to play a significant part in achieving
organisational objectives?

Strategy or policy not in place or not Strategy implemented by
applied: 15% departmental instruction to other staff
members: 23% Disagree: 10% Strongly agree: 10%
Application of documented strategy and/or policy by Strategy and/or policy verbally Agree: 76%% Strongly disagree: 4%
management: 34% communicated but application not
monitored: 26%

Application of documented strategy Agree
34% and/or policy by management 76%

Technology: the game changer

Operating in a dynamic environment, the success of The widespread deployment of technology across the various
real estate companies hinges, in large part, on their operational phases is expected to enable the sector to
ability to deliver innovative, user-accepted products rationalise construction-related processes and improve the
and services in a timely, seamless manner. With so quality, cost-effectiveness and timeliness of project delivery,
much riding on the prosperity and future of their while also ensuring that the projects are developed and
companies, more and more developers are turning to
completed in consideration of long-term sustainability and
advanced technology as a tool for optimising the value
of their businesses in the marketplace.
environment-related concerns.

This section discusses how emerging technological trends are In countless industries, deployment of technology has
redefining the real estate space of India and taking it to the contributed to enhanced productivity and better business
next level, for both now and in the future. Technology is performance. Even in the real estate sector, increased usage of
emerging as a catalyst of change for the real estate companies technology has permitted real estate players to markedly
of India – be it construction, project management, marketing, improve the construction efficiency, while also inculcating
business management or customer service. sustainable practices across the construction cycle.

Today, the real estate sector is grappling with a number of Research proves that the implementation of advanced
challenges such as shortage of skilled manpower, escalating technology has permitted the sector to significantly reduce the
project cost and prolonged construction period. Technology time wasted in coordinating activities and in managing,
holds the key to not only address some of these issues, but moving, and installing materials for construction. From the
also a promise for the sector to react to the changing market commercial perspective, technology has enabled the sector to
conditions more effectively and efficiently. reduce the losses arising due to lack of interoperability, as well
as the transactional costs required to resolve disputes and
claims associated with construction projects.



In your opinion, in which of the the continuous demand for better structures - with respect to a
functions, technology makes
the greatest impact for the real
construction and variety of performance considerations, such as environmental
estate companies of India at 52% designing
impact, comfort, cost, etc. 3D and 4D model is another widely
present?
implemented technology in the design phase of the
construction cycle.
38%
project management/monitoring The performance of the building over its entire lifecycle is
assigned to performance indices. Deployment of modelling
8%
techniques permits architects and design engineers to
sales and marketing
determine the values of performance indices, and hence,
2%
customer service
predict the performance of the building over its entire
lifecycle. The traditional techniques of sketching and drawing
Use of technology in construction and design building plans, sections, elevations, etc. have currently been
The rapid advances in technology present promising overtaken by new simulation techniques, largely due to the
opportunities for real estate developers to make informed emerging need for architects and design engineers to have
decisions in the context of schematic phases of building more accurate performance information of the building.
design. Through the integrated and concurrent
implementation of multiple simulation tools and technologies, In some countries, simulation models have been applied for
developers can gain insights for improving the efficiency of developing lighting, energy and environmental impact analyses
the building over its entire lifecycle, from design, through of buildings over their entire lifecycle. Once the performance
construction and commissioning, to operation and of the building has been predicted, technology is also applied
demolition. Technological advances including computer-aided to compare the possible solutions for improving the
design and drafting (CADD), laser scanning, cost-estimating performance considerations. The understanding, quantification
and scheduling tools, and three-and four–dimensional (3D and evaluation of the performance considerations permits real
and 4D) visualisation and modelling programs permit real estate developers to design strategies and deploy technologies
estate developers to design buildings which are able to fulfil that can strike a balance between the various specific
performance criteria by comparing all the available options.


In addition to CADD and simulation modelling tools, the To meet the demand of housing and commercial buildings
design phase of the construction cycle also requires the that can match the unprecedented pace of urban growth,
deployment of simulation algorithms that permit developers developers are increasingly adopting prefabricated building
to evaluate the energy performance considerations of the materials. By using cleaner resources which also save the
buildings. By forecasting the performance of the building energy consumed during the construction process,
components and systems over their entire lifecycle, prefabrication techniques significantly contribute to sustainable
technology assists decision-makers in improving the standards development. Further, the development and application of
of building performance as per the potential occupancy prefabrication techniques in the construction of buildings is
patterns. often supplemented with mechanisation, computer aided
manufacturing, and intelligent building management systems.
The deployment of technology in the real estate sector has
facilitated real estate players to create advanced national and
India Concept House, a housing solution being
international infrastructures and a built-environment that has developed by US-based architecture firm
significantly liberated human intervention from building KieranTimberlake in partnership with ProjectWell, RICS
construction sites. Further, technology has also been South Asia, and Sam Circle Venture, will design and
instrumental in enabling real estate players to align real estate manufacture an entire house in factories and assemble
activities with the pace of urban development. it at the construction site. As per an estimate, it will just
take six weeks to assemble a 98 square metre house.
However, the current challenges of urbanisation and
sustainable development make it imperative for real estate
developers to explore new, innovative and advanced
technological processes that can revolutionise the way
buildings are being constructed, operated and maintained.



Use of technology in marketing Use of technology in customer service
Increasing competition, trimming marketing budgets and need For the new age consumer, customer service forms an
to identify and target potential customers cost-effectively is extension of the overall marketing process. This provides an
compelling real estate players to explore new and innovative immense opportunity to real estate developers to tap this facet
strategies and technologies for marketing their projects. of marketing to differentiate themselves from their
Deploying technology for marketing projects helps marketing competitors. By effectively leveraging technology solutions in
teams to design and deliver innovative marketing programmes the context of customer service, real estate players can
that are much more efficient. transform the experience of end-users.

The traditional methods of marketing construction projects Technological platforms, including web portals, social media,
have proved to be extremely time-consuming and ineffective online forums and mobile applications, are increasingly being
at offering useful information of buildings such as design and tapped by real estate developers to enhance the efficiency of
planning to potential customers. With customers seeking their customer service processes. Further, technology also
more information for making informed decisions while empowers marketing teams of real estate companies to gather
making purchases, deployment of technology provides an deep understanding of evolving customer needs and
opportunity to savvy developers to differentiate their expectations.
marketing efforts from that of their competitors. Across the
sector, developers are investing in providing virtual tours of This understanding permits them to integrate relevant
their projects to their potential customers to effectively information into traditional marketing channels to build
market their projects while saving both time and cost successful customer service models. Despite the efficiency of
technology in providing rapid access to marketing teams to
Providing a virtual tour of a property to a potential customer specific customer information, the widespread implementation
is fast emerging as a preferred tool for realtors and buyers of technology to markedly improve customer service
alike. Housing projects are increasingly being shortlisted by productivity is still at a nascent stage.
customers and often also selected on the basis of a virtual
tour of the property.



Among the several barriers to the overall deployment of Use of technology in project management
advanced technologies in the customer service function, cost Project management in real estate sector is extremely complex,
and complexity of implementation are of prime significance. owing largely due to the long lifecycle of projects, multi-units
involvement in executing projects, unorganised nature of the
One of the most widely implemented technologies in the sector, etc. Technology including project management, material
customer service function is Customer Relationship management and sales and marketing tools is widely being
Management (CRM). Deployment of CRM tools enable real considered as the solution to integrate the various phases of
estate companies to transform their existing business models the construction projects. Advances in technology have largely
and create entirely new ones which are far more efficient at overtaken the design and construction phase of real estate
analysing the diverse needs of customers and empowering projects and have created value for countless real estate
teams to develop better strategies to interact with their companies by increasing the efficiency of their operational
customers. processes markedly.

By enabling teams to efficiently manage pre-sales, sales and IP surveillance system permits builders to monitor and
post-sales forces, CRM tools enable companies to overcome supervise the progress of their projects and address delays in
the challenges emanating from increasing dynamism in market project completion by taking timely measures. Besides remote
demand. monitoring, video conferencing solutions, installation of
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the project site
Homebuy360.com, a Koramangala-based technology and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools also permit
start-up, connects builders and buyers over the internet builders to keep a close eye at the progress of their projects.
to facilitate transactions. The company provides an Witnessing the vast potential of tapping technological
online application-based account which enables buyers advances to markedly improve project management, several
to monitor the progress as well as any other relevant real estate players are also exploring and evaluating solutions
information pertaining to their homes. Developers, on for connecting their managers, operating at remote sites, to
the other hand, are provided online modules to track
update their project status, send bills for payment, etc.
billing, collection and customer service related matters.



By deploying technology including enterprise mobility With its far-reaching functionalities, ERP also enables
solutions, document management solutions, Management prospective buyers and developers to view the exact location
Information System (MIS), Enterprise Resource Planning of the construction site and assess the exact distance of this
(ERP) system, etc. businesses across industries have site from a particular point. Further, across numerous real
nonetheless become far more efficient and robust. In the real estate companies, ERP plays a crucial role in keeping a track
estate sector, particularly, ERP has been deployed by builders, of expenses and financial accounts.
property dealers and landlords to boost the productivity of
their businesses. With ERP, the complex task of effectively Conclusion
managing property business, and data pertaining to ownership In essence, continued improvements in technology have
history, amenities, property address, etc. has significantly significantly revolutionised the way real estate companies
eased. Further, ERP is also beneficial at maintaining records operate in the current business environment. However, the
of legal documents, including property documents, loan impact on the performance of the real estate sector with the
functions, agreements and loan history for the real estate deployment of technology is largely dependent upon the
players and potential customers. depth of its involvement across the various facets of the
operational processes. How real estate players innovate and
The benefit of improved project management is another respond to technological advances will undoubtedly play a
benefit of ERP systems. By integrating ERP modules across major role in differentiating the companies, their projects and
various phases of the project lifecycle, project managers can offerings in the minds of consumers.
substantially enhance operational and performance
efficiencies of the systems associated with project execution In the long-run, the advent of technology exposes the players
and completion. ERP also replaces the traditional systems of to numerous challenges, as well as renders new opportunities
project management to improve the processes of budgeting, to improve innovation, product development and customer
planning and allocating resources as per the needs of the support. The key to driving growth in such a scenario will
phases of the project by contributing at estimating, costing, nevertheless be dependent upon the willingness of real estate
planning, scheduling and execution of real estate projects. players to accept sophisticated technologies and seamlessly
integrate them within their business operations.


Innovation and convergence of technologies

The Indian real estate sector has to keep a keen eye on Convergence of Electrical and Information Technology
technological innovations to sustain growth and keep pace
with global developments. The more receptive the industry Services
gets for technological innovations, the greater will be the Network
speed of change. Integrated
Building

An integration of electrical and information technology Applications
(illustration alongside) can enable a building to transform Internet
Internet
Communi-
from a device-oriented, function-driven platform to a unified Building
Platform
cation
Platform
service-oriented platform.
Systems
Every building has a multilayer infrastructure and it is
extremely critical that the building should be designed and Life, Safety Building Data Voice Video
constructed in such a manner that makes the collaboration and
Security
Automation

of these layers possible. The resultant platform will
streamline processes, thereby tapping productivity and Devices
operational efficiency in a significant way. Such models have Fire/Alarm Surveillanc HVAC Electricity
Data Fax and text Voice
TV and
potential to enhance a building‟s value and optimise Control e/Access Control Control
Communica Communica
tion tion
Communi-
cation
Images
control
costs, in the long term.
Electrical Technology Information Technology
After the integration of information and electrical
technologies, the Indian real estate sector can take a leap Model adapted from Zurich ETH and Technibank
towards convergence of Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT) with electrical, mechanical and civil
construction techniques and technologies.


Smart homes: intelligent buildings

Empowered with rising disposable incomes, the burgeoning Smart home technology is one such concept that has the
middle class of the country is driving the demand for potential to empower developers to meet the economic and
improved workplaces and homes that can provide them comfort-related expectations of the consumers, while effecting
opportunities to lead better lifestyles, while addressing their a radical change in their living environment and lifestyle.
need for sustainability, efficiency and functionality. Thanks to
the advances in technology and innovation, the real estate Major advantages of smart home technology
sector is poised to identify and tap the market opportunities Safety
emerging out of these demands to deliver substantial Smart home technology integrates building, safety, and
economic, environmental and quality of life benefits to the communications channels with an open Internet Protocol (IP)
citizens of the country. standard with the purpose of developing an intelligent
monitoring system to improve the efficiency of the building.
Innovating and incorporating new value-added solutions in By facilitating multidisciplinary collaboration among the
their project portfolios is increasingly emerging as a crucial systems for building management and safety and
directive for real estate players to allure new buyers and communication, the smart home technology helps create
tenants, while also retaining the existing ones. Undoubtedly, intelligent building infrastructure that can effect marked
the real estate sector of the country has come a long way, in improvements in lifestyle and safety of its occupants.
terms of the quality of infrastructure being developed, over
the last decade. Without question, technology has played a Such homes are equipped with embedded devices that can
paramount role in shaping this growth path and arming the enhance the functionality of traditional safety and monitoring
sector to become capable of meeting the rising real estate systems. By integrating these conventional devices with a
demands. simple user interface, occupants can easily obtain information
about what is happening inside the house or in its vicinity from
With the growing demand for not only infrastructure and real any remote location. Besides remote monitoring for enhancing
estate, but better infrastructure and real estate confronting the safety features of real estate, smart residential solutions
developers, it has become imperative for them to transform also offers the potential to improve building performance by
their projects by adding differentiating functionalities to them. drastically reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and their
skyrocketing demand for energy.


Sustainability Reducing carbon footprint of buildings
Buildings are the largest consumers of energy and emitters of The increased concern of climate change is expected to drive
greenhouse gases globally. Application of smart home the shift in real estate activities towards creating a low carbon
technology in buildings permits developers to integrate energy society.
management systems in buildings for improving their
performance. Such buildings are also equipped with energy Currently, smart home technology is one of the most powerful
conservation and power management systems that can help tools available to real estate developers to lower carbon and
the sector to efficiently address its long-term sustainability environmental impacts of their buildings. By implementing
challenges. smart home technology in buildings, developers can efficiently
address the issues of rising energy costs, climate change,
Moreover, the energy management systems can be monitored environmental concerns, resource depletion, human health and
by the building occupants to ascertain their energy usage. The safety issues.
easy monitoring of energy consumption permits occupants to
keep a tab on their energy usage, and thereby lower energy The ease of monitoring the energy consumption enables
costs. occupants to turn-off their HVAC systems with the touch of a
button right from the comfort of their workplaces. Further, by
Further, by centrally monitoring the building facilities such as proactively monitoring building performance, building owners
elevators and HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air- can strategically deploy systems that are either more energy-
Conditioning) systems, owners can easily ascertain energy efficient or consume less power, with a view to achieve drastic
usage patterns and proactively reduce the usage of reductions in the carbon footprint of their buildings.
superfluous systems to reduce energy costs and improve the
performance of the building.



Current scenario Smart home technology in India
Today, technological awareness and its potential to drastically Increasing competition and need for tapping the high-end
improve the quality of life are widely emerging as the latest market segment are driving real estate developers to
buzzwords in the residential real estate market of the country. differentiate their projects by incorporating various value-
Heightened concern for the environment and demand for added services. With a view to attract the high-end consumer
finer aesthetics at home are driving the demand for homes segment which has the purchasing power to buy premium
that incorporate cutting-edge technology to improve safety of automated homes, several real estate players are now
the occupants of the building, improve energy efficiency of considering smart home technology in their buildings. Lodha
the building, and lower energy costs. Group, for instance, is among the first ones in the country to
introduce the concept of smart homes in its Bellissimo project
The trend to invest in technology to improve the performance in Mumbai in 2006.
of buildings is fast catching up with developers who are
increasingly incorporating solutions such as automated and The automation trend in residential projects has also been
solar protection curtains, home automation systems, wired picked up by Mantri Developers and Total Environment
switches, remote controlled devices, etc. in their projects. The Building Systems for their projects launched in Bengaluru.
growing interest in digital solutions also stems from the Sobha Habitech project is another prominent smart home
increase in the number of working couples in the country project that has been launched in the country by Sobha
who are increasingly dependent upon automated home Developers Ltd in Bengaluru.
solutions to seamlessly perform their day-to-day activities.


Pre-fabrication: the fast-catching trend

Building concrete structures is time consuming, thanks to the The assembly line is automated and sections move from one
number of steps involved right from sourcing the raw place to another for completion. The quality inspection is
material to giving the finishing touches. This becomes a major carried out at each and every stage. The regulations demand
problem especially if the requirement is immediate. strict adherence to manufacturing codes set in the country.
Prefabricated (prefab) structures provide a viable solution in
this scenario. The use of prefab structures is on the rise which The sections or components take varied time for completion at
means more convenience to the consumers and good business the factory. The installation time also varies from place to
for entrepreneurs. place and depends upon the complexity as well. The time
consumed in completion of the project varies, depending
Prefab structures are dwellings manufactured off-site in upon many factors. But construction, with prefab structures,
advance, usually in standard sections that can be easily time is shorter than regular or conventional building technique.
shipped and assembled on-site. These are designed and built
to be movable rather than permanently located. These houses Weather and labour are not a matter of concern since most of
differ from regular buildings since many of their parts are the sections are built in an established factory. There are
prefabricated in a factory and then assembled on-site. This certainly less impediments in prefab building methodology.
type of housing construction is also known as modular home Quick completion of the job also means faster returns on
construction. The modular homes may be constructed investments. Building extension also becomes easy as new
entirely or partially with manufactured components. These section can be added without much difficulty.
homes are suited for schools, certain government buildings,
research institutions and civilian or military residential
complexes.

This type of building work is mostly used in areas where
conventional construction is not possible. Another advantage
is fast completion of the project. The construction of parts
or sections usually takes place in a factory.



The role of prefabrication in architecture has been lauded for its
potential to increase productivity and efficiency while not sacrificing
quality. Developing countries, including China, India, Africa and many
regions of South America, are exploring the potential advantages of
prefabrication which have the assurance of realising housing quickly
and affordably.

Comparison Prefabricated V/S Conventional
S. Prefabricated Buildings Conventional Building
1 Aesthetically appealing appearance Special aesthetic design required

2 Reduced time because of international design standards & codes using Increased design time due to scratch and availability of less design aids
standard sections and connections

3 Higher resistance to seismic forces due to low weight flexible frames Rigid heavy weight structures not suitable for seismic zones

4 Less weight through efficient use of materials High weight due to excessive safety factor and heavy RCC work

5 Factory controlled quality Every project to be fabricated at site

6 Lower initial cost of Prefabricated buildings (cost per square meter about Special design and features developed for each project at higher costs
30% less than the conventional) and faster delivery

7 Simple foundation, easy to construct and light weight of structures Extensive heavy foundation

8 Span size may be designed up to 40m Span size with limitation of beam width may be limited to 10-15m

9 Average delivery time considerably less High average completion time



Scope of pre-fabrication In actual construction, the number of bricks or blocks that are
In a building, the foundation, walls, doors and windows, floor broken into different sizes to fit into position at site is very
and roof are the most important components. These large.
components can be analysed separately based on the
requirement. This improves the speed of construction and As a result of this, there is a wastage of material and the
reduces the construction cost. quality of construction also suffers. Increasing the size of wall
blocks will prove economical due to greater speed and less
1. Foundations mortar consumption, which can be achieved by producing low
Various types of foundations normally adopted are: density bigger size wall blocks and industrial wastes such as
• open foundations blast furnace slag and fly ash.
• rib foundations
• columns and footings Several prefabrication techniques have been developed and
• RCC raft foundation executed for walls but medium and large panel techniques have
not proved economical for low rise buildings as compared to
Conventional methods using in-situ techniques are found to traditional brick work.
be economical and more practical for low cost housing of
slums which generally consists of low rise structures. In 3. Floor and roof
seismic regions, special attention is required to make the Structural floors and roofs account for a substantial cost of
foundations continuous using horizontal reinforcement. construction. Therefore, any savings achieved in floor/roof
Prefabrication is not recommended for foundations in normal considerably reduce the cost of buildings. Traditional cast-in-
situations. situ concrete roof involve the use of temporary shuttering
which adds to the cost of construction and time. Use of
2. Walls standardised and optimised roofing components where
In the construction of walls, different types of bricks, soil, shuttering is avoided prove to be economical, fast and better in
cement blocks, hollow clay blocks, dense concrete blocks, quality.
small, medium and room size panels, etc. are used. However,
bricks continue to be the backbone of the building industry.

Roof components
Roof Panel Concrete Block
• precast, lightweight, low density concrete
• precast, lightweight, low density concrete
• shaped as permanent formwork for site cast
concrete roof slab

Wall components

Wall Panel Door Panel Window Panel Partition Panel

• precast, low-density • lightweight aluminium • lightweight aluminium • precast, lightweight,
concrete frame frame low density concrete
• self-Supporting
• load bearing and • quick connection to • quick connection to • quick connection to
shaped to resist wall panel wall panel wall panel
lateral forces
• able to be set without • allows NBC 2005 • operable ventilations
material handling compliant entry with protection during
equipment monsoon season
• provides east and
west solar shading
• glazed aperture
• shape provides protection from solar
storage and utility gain summer
integration points

Characteristics of components for prefabricated structures


Some of the prefabricated roofing and flooring components 2. Doors and windows
found suitable in many low-cost housing projects include the Innumerable types and sizes of doors and windows are used in
following: buildings. This involves the use of additional skilled labour
• precast RC planks both on site and off site and also wastage of expensive
• precast hollow concrete panels materials such as timber, glass, etc. Economy can however be
• precast RB panels achieved by:
• precast RB curved panels • standardising and optimising dimensions
• precast concrete/ferro-cement panels • evolving restricted number of doors and window sizes
• precast RC channel units • use of precast door and window frames

Prefab materials can also be used for constructing For most, less developed countries, and India in particular, the
components such as lintels, sun shades, cupboard shelves, need of production technology, or the knowledge of the
kitchen working slab and shelves, precast ferro-cement tanks, process of prefabrication is critical and it cannot be directly
precast staircase steps, precast ferro-cement drains, etc. transferred from other countries due to cultural barriers.
Therefore, in order to utilise this technology in an optimum
1. Thin precast RCC Lintel manner, it is imperative for India to develop its own methods
Normally lintels are designed on the assumption that the load of prefabrication specific to its requirements and unique
from a triangular portion of the masonry above, acts on the social, environmental and economic conditions.
lintel. Thin precast RCC lintels are designed taking into
account the composite action of the lintel with the brick
work.

The use of precast lintel speeds up the construction of walls
besides eliminating shuttering and centering. Adoption of thin
lintels results in up to 50% saving in materials and overall cost
of lintels.



Issues and challenges
Products which are being/can be offered in a prefabricated form
Some of the problems faced by vendors dealing in
prefabricated houses in India include the following: Site
Portable Class Rooms Small Hospitals
• lack of acceptance from consumers Office/Accommodation
• lack of trained work force for installing prefab units Bathrooms Camp Site Terrace Rooms
• lack of brand value Beach Houses Security Rooms Cellular Phone shelter
• assumption that design choices are limited with prefab
Farm Houses Bunk House Modular Cabin
structures
• perceived cost premium for quality prefab Portable Toilet Guard Rooms/ Post Clinics
• lack of flexibility in on-site design changes Roof top Hotels Huts
• cultural barriers including the perception that prefab
Barracks Portable Kitchen Cold storages
houses are temporary and do not provide reliability
Exhibition halls kiosks Workshops Warehouses
The others include opposition from construction workers and Extended accommodation Disaster Relief Shelters Low Cost Housing
contractors to whom prefabrication appears to be a threat to
their jobs. Storage Shed Transit Camps Resorts

House (one to three bedrooms and upto three-storey)


Green practices: an option and a necessity

Sustainable cities in India

The massive demographic shift in the country from Eco-cities/ sustainable cities
rural to urban regions is expected to put enormous Recognising the importance of sustainable development to
pressure on urban planning, natural resources, counter the challenges associated with the dramatic pace of
infrastructure and the environment. The key to urbanisation, the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF)
managing urban growth of the country lies in began the discussions on developing eco-cities in the country
formulating an urban strategy which is efficient in in 2000. The MoEF collaborated with Central Pollution
responding to the dynamic needs of urbanisation and,
Control Board (CPCB) and the German technical cooperation
simultaneously, address the issue of climate change
(GTZ) to plan six medium and small eco-cities in the country
and environmental degradation. Designing and
developing sustainable cities are believed to form a in 2001. Environmental consideration is placed at the forefront
major component of the strategies of countering the of the urban planning process while designing the
challenges associated with rapid population growth development plan for eco-cities. The government chose the
and urbanisation. towns including Vrindavan, Kottayam, Tirupathi, Thanjavur,
Ujjain and Puri for the project.
As India continues to face the mounting pressures of
urbanisation and challenges of climate change, various plans As part of the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC)
and roadmaps are being laid down for achieving sustainable project, the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development
and inclusive development, and lowering the carbon footprint Corporation (DMICDC) also intends to develop eco-cities
of its cities. With a view to address the increasing along the length of the Delhi Mumbai Corridor. The first
environmental concerns, the Twelfth Five Year Plan has phase of this initiative involves the development of an eco-city
adopted a holistic approach to reinforce overall sustainability pilot project at Manesar, an industrial hub in Haryana. The
in the Indian cities. Further, although the country is currently pilot project, which is to be implemented at IMT Manesar, has
witnessing several radical experiments in sustainable been undertaken following the signing of a MoU between
development such as Magarpatta City, etc, the roadmap for Delhi-Mumbai Corridor Initiative Development Corporation
creating cities which embrace the aspects of economic, (DMICDC), Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure
environment and social sustainability within their framework Development Corporation (HSIIDC), and a consortium of
still lies at a nascent stage. Japanese companies led by Toshiba, and including NEC,
Tokyo Gas and Energy Advanced Companies Limited.

Sustainable cities in India

Witnessing the vast potential in India for developing Along the length of the project, an overall 51,000 hectares of
sustainable eco-villages and towns, the Prince of Wales also area has been earmarked for conserved mangroves, integrated
intends to develop an eco-friendly community near either villages, green spaces, rail transport for local and regional
Bangalore or Kolkata. The project, which will be financed transportation, and a compact city to minimise travel distances.
through his charity “Foundation for the Built Environment”, In September 2011, the Central Government approved an
involves the construction of a sustainable community with assistance of Rs. 18,500 crore over a span of 5 years for the
the capacity to house around 15,000 people. mega infrastructure project. The DFC that was set to be
completed by 2013 is, now, expected to be completed by 2017,
Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor project owing to the issues such as land acquisition and delays in
The Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project is approvals from state governments.
spread over a length of 1,483 kilometres and passes through
the states of U.P, NCR of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat
and Maharashtra. Intended to be developed in collaboration
with the Government of Japan, the US$ 90 billion project will
possess a high speed freight line, three ports and 9 mega-
industrial zones covering an area of approximately 200-250
square kilometres.

As part of the project, Multi-modal High Axle Load
Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) will be developed between
Delhi and Mumbai, with end terminals at Dadri in NCR and
Jawaharlal Nehru Port near Mumbai.


Sustainable cities: global case studies

Masdar City in Abu Dhabi The city is comprised of five integrated units - Masdar City,
With a view to develop a city capable of managing the pace Masdar Capital, Masdar Power, Masdar Carbon and Masdar
and sheer scale of urban growth, the government of Abu Institute of Science and Technology.
Dhabi has put in place the plan to develop the 2.7-square mile
Masdar City in a desert 10.5 miles from downtown Abu Approach to sustainability
Dhabi. Projected to be completed in 2016, the city has a US$ Currently, various approaches and methods are being evaluated
22 billion-corpus, and is designed with the intent to by the city developers to mitigate the perpetual impact of
accommodate 40,000 residents. The initial intent of the large-scale developmental activities and urbanisation on
project was to develop a cleantech city cluster capable of environmental degradation and climate change. Some of these
lowering Abu Dhabi‟s carbon footprint by being a zero- approaches include:
carbon and zero-waste region. Later, the sustainability
performance indicators of the city were revised to reduce the • public transportation system comprising of Personal Rapid
following: Transit (PRT) vehicles
• allowing pedestrian-friendly narrow streets through the
• the overall energy demand by 50% construction of an undercroft and the utility trench
• the embodied carbon emissions by 30% • combining shading, planting and water features to reduce
• the operational carbon emissions by 50% the average temperature of the city by 20º Celsius
• water waste by 30% • the Windtower that will rise 45-metres high above the
• landfill waste by 50% podium will have LED lighting, which will change colour to
help occupants monitor their energy use
• design of the facades of the buildings of the city will enable
the management of solar gain
• linear parks and the streets will be oriented in a manner
such that air movement gets enhanced


Sustainable cities: global case studies

New Songdo City Fast facts
Driven by the aim to develop a city that employed sustainable • 45 million square feet in area
design principles and the best practices of urban planning, • Will house 65,000 residents
South Korea laid down the foundation of the New Songdo • 30 million square feet of residential space
City in 2000 on a man-made island about 40 miles from Seoul. • 10 million square feet of retail space
Intended to be spread over an area of 1,500-acres, the city is • 5 million square feet of hotel space
expected to have green commercial buildings and homes that • 10 million square feet of public space
will efficiently reduce its greenhouse emission by 33% of the • 40% green space
amount emitted by a normal city of similar size. Cisco has
collaborated with New Songdo International City The city will also be home to the 68-storey Northeast Asia
Development LLC to digitalise the entire city. Trade Tower – the tallest building in South Korea.

An overview of other sustainable cities
City Location Sustainability approach
Dongtan City Chongming Island, near Shanghai,  reducing the ecological footprint of the city to 2.6
in the Yangtze River Delta, China  achieving zero-carbon footprint
 energy generation through solar panels, wind turbines and bio-
fuels
 encouraging biodiversity through low car-usage and low-
consumption approaches
Sino-Singapore Tianjin Tianjin Binhai New  spread over an area of 30 square kilometres, the plan for the
Eco-City Area, China development of the city will focus on 6 key factors
 these include clean water, ecology, clean environment, green
building, clean energy and integration of technology
Sino-Singapore Nanjing 6.5 kilometres from Nanjing, capital  750 hectares of the island will be designated for eco-tourism
Eco High-Tech Island of southern Jiangsu province,  water canals and lush greenery will adorn the island
China  water reclamation and other green energy options will be explored
Meixi Lake District Changsha, the capital city of Hunan  spread over an area of 1,675 acres, the lake environment will be
Province, China surrounded by abundant green space


Green buildings in India

Unprecedented opportunities of economic growth and Faced by the inevitability of additional urban population
employment are driving the rapid wave of urbanisation in growth, cities are facing the urgent need to address the issues
developing countries worldwide. As per estimates from the of unplanned development characterised by slums or informal
United Nations, urban population in the developing countries settlements, environmental degradation and climate change, by
will rise to 5.2 billion by 2050. formulating an effective roadmap for achieving sustainable
urban development.
The rapid pace of urbanisation has given rise to the concept
of „megacities‟ – cities housing a population exceeding 10 Sustainable cities form a major component of the holistic
million people. It is projected that by 2015, the number of approach to optimise the efficiency of urban infrastructure
megacities in India will increase to 9, of which Mumbai, Delhi systems, while managing the impact of rapid urbanisation on
and Kolkata, will be counted among the 10 largest cities in the the environment, ecosystem and natural resources.
world.
The key to developing sustainable cities lies in strategically
While on one hand, the rapid migration of population to the deploying ecological principles to urban planning, design and
cities of emerging markets is enriching the urban pool of management. For achieving sustainability in urban planning, it
human capital and acting as a catalyst for the shift in the is also imperative to integrate these principles with the
world‟s economic geography, it is also creating novel effective implementation of a set of green policies, including
challenges of achieving sustainable urban development. the deployment of renewable energy and carbon-neutral
strategies, sustainable transport strategies and strategies leading
Challenges to sustain urban growth within the formal to eco-efficiency.
planning process, redefining the capacity of cities to provide
adequate services for their population and mitigating the Further, establishing effective processes for monitoring and
impact on climate are some of the challenges being faced by evaluating the spatial planning framework for developing
the cities in the developing countries. sustainable cities can go a long way in ensuring the success of
this green initiative.



The general sentiment among the developer community is With an increase in awareness and availability of resources, the
that green buildings cost higher than similar conventional cost premium in India is foreseen to realign with that of the
buildings, and it is difficult to get positive returns on this extra mature markets. It is important to note here that the capital
investment. This issue is mainly due to: cost of going green also depends on the level of rating that a
• the still-evolving nature of green buildings; project aspires for.
• the lack of technical information;
• the incomplete/inefficient execution of green projects; The below table quite succinctly substantiates two important
• the short-term view on returns, instead of focusing on trends: first that the payback period for going green in
lifetime return on investment (ROI) of these buildings. buildings is showing a distinct declining trend over the years
and second that as green technology is getting more accessible
In mature markets the cost premium range from 1-6%. Cost and cheaper, the cost of greening the building is also coming
premium in India is in the range of 5–30% depending on the down.
level of rating. This can be attributed to lack of technical
know-how, immaturity of the market and lack of resources.

Project Hike in cost Payback period on
City Area Rating (in %) cost premium
(in years)
CII-Sohrabji Godrej GBC Hyderabad 20,000 Platinum 18 7

ITC Green Centre Gurgaon 170,000 Platinum 15 6

Spectral Services Noida 15,000 Platinum 8 4

Wipro Gurgaon 175,000 Platinum 8 5

Technopolis Kolkata 72,000 Gold 6 3

Source: CII


A green building may cost more up front, but saves through Green Buildings ensure Triple Bottom Line (3 BL) which has
lower operating costs over the life of the building. The green 3 parts- People, Planet and Profits. From the evidence widely
building approach applies a project lifecycle cost analysis for available, there is little doubt that creating green buildings is
determining the appropriate up-front expenditure. This more beneficial for occupants and employees and is
analytical method calculates costs over the useful life of the undoubtedly much less demanding on precious environmental
asset. resources. This takes care of the People and Planet. The third P
that of Profits is also guaranteed by the cost savings and other
Some benefits, such as improvement in occupant health, economic benefits it offers.
comfort, productivity and reduction in pollution and landfill
waste, are not easily quantified. Consequently, they are not
adequately considered in cost-benefit analysis. For this reason,
setting aside a small portion of the building budget to cover
differential costs associated with less tangible green building
benefits or to cover the cost of researching and analysing People
green building options should also be considered.

The average payback period for all the buildings is around 4.6
years, according to the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Planet
report of 2007. It has been 5 years since then, during which
green prices of products and services have become more
competitive and the payback period is expected to come
down. Profits



While residential real estate prices are at levels not easily reachable by Should the government mandate a minimum usage of alternative sources of
masses, is it possible to offer houses that are environment-friendly and yet energy for all real estate projects?
affordable?

Can't say: 5% No: 35% Can't say: 4% No: 33%
Yes: 60% Yes: 63%

Yes Yes
60% 63%


Rank the top factors that can enhance adoptability of clean technologies in
the real estate sector in India?

Stable government subsidies and Tax incentives: 25%
regulation: 27%
Corporate social responsibility: 11% Brand building: 4%

Long term sustainability: 13% Pressure from customers: 8%

Price of fossil fuels: 8% Public opinion: 4%

27% Stable government subsidies and regulation


“I would give a thousand furlongs of sea for an
acre of barren ground.”
-Shakespeare

"It's tangible, it's solid, it's beautiful. It's artistic,
from my standpoint, and I just love real estate."
-Donald Trump

“Every person who invests in well-selected real
estate in a growing section of a prosperous
community adopts the surest and safest method
of becoming independent, for real estate is the
basis of wealth.”
-Theodore Roosevelt

About CII

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) works to create and sustain an environment conducive to the growth of industry in India, partnering
industry and government alike through advisory and consultative processes.

CII is a non-government, not-for-profit, industry led and industry managed organisation, playing a proactive role in India's development process.
Founded over 117 years ago, it is India's premier business association, with a direct membership of over 7000 organisations from the private as
well as public sectors, including SMEs and MNCs, and an indirect membership of over 90,000 companies from around 400 national and regional
sectoral associations.

CII catalyses change by working closely with government on policy issues, enhancing efficiency, competitiveness and expanding business
opportunities for industry through a range of specialised services and global linkages. It also provides a platform for sectoral consensus building
and networking. Major emphasis is laid on projecting a positive image of business, assisting industry to identify and execute corporate citizenship
programmes. Partnerships with over 120 NGOs across the country carry forward our initiatives in integrated and inclusive development, which
include health, education, livelihood, diversity management, skill development and water, to name a few.

The CII Theme for 2012-13, „Reviving Economic Growth: Reforms and Governance,‟ accords top priority to restoring the growth trajectory
of the nation, while building Global Competitiveness, Inclusivity and Sustainability. Towards this, CII advocacy will focus on structural reforms,
both at the Centre and in the States, and effective governance, while taking efforts and initiatives in Affirmative Action, Skill Development, and
International Engagement to the next level.

With 63 offices including 10 Centres of Excellence in India, and 7 overseas offices in Australia, China, France, Singapore, South Africa, UK, and
USA, as well as institutional partnerships with 223 counterpart organisations in 90 countries, CII serves as a reference point for Indian industry
and the international business community.
Confederation of Indian Industry
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Reach us via our Membership Helpline: 23, Institutional Area, Lodi Road
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Solutions for real estate companies

Our real estate practice Financing your business Communication and compliance
Real estate is a complex business. Owing to its capital intensive • analysing funding requirements • advising on financial reporting
nature, any turbulence in the economic and business • preparing submissions to financiers requirements
environment can affect a real estate business in a number of • benchmarking terms and pricing • clarifying directors‟ responsibilities
ways.
• considering alternative sources • mitigating fraud risk
With its depth of knowledge and global experience, Grant • evaluating and designing controls
Working capital management
Thornton India LLP can assist you in mitigating these inherent
• managing your cash Human capital management
risks. At the same time, we can help you identify and leverage
potential opportunities as well. Assurance, tax and advisory • forecasting and re-forecasting • optimising pension and benefit schemes
services are just the beginning of our suite of services for real • optimising tax cash flow savings • retaining the right staff
estate companies. • improving management information • devising tax efficient packages
• enhancing reward packages
Protecting profits
• product portfolio analysis Strategic direction
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• identifying overhead savings • identifying acquisition opportunities
Operations and cost reduction
• reviewing business plans
• establishing cost reduction
Please contact our real estate experts at
programmes realestate.solutions@in.gt.com to know
• improving supply chain more about how Grant Thornton can assist
• enhancing operational efficiency you achieve your objectives.
• outsourcing back office functions


Acknowledgement

Grant Thornton India LLP acknowledges the commitment and
contribution of the following individuals in the
development of this report:

Vishwas Panjiar
Vikas Gambhir
Rajesh Laddha
Swarnima Chauhan
Harsh Singh

We also thank Mr. Ajay Dhyani and
Ms. Bhupinder Pal Kaur of CII for their valuable support.

Editorial team

Neeraj Sharma
Vikram Jethwani
Misbah Hussain


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