Innovative construction to drive the future

Innovative technology and sustainable green materials have brought about a revolutionary change in the construction and  building sector. Modern construction has broken free from the conventional building materials used with the introduction of innovative materials like Ready Mixed Concrete (RMC) and Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastics (GRP) which are sustainable and cost-effective.
 
These and other insights were shared at the one-day seminar on
Metamorphosis in Construction & Building Industry  organized by MMR Events, a part of  Asian Industry & Information Services Pvt Ltd (AIISPL) – on July 30, 2011 in Mumbai. 
 
In his inaugural remarks, Mr G Chandrashekhar, Associate Editor, The Hindu Business Line, said “India is a nation of young people. At present 53 per cent of the population are less than 25 years of age. Their rising incomes and aspirations will drive the growth of the housing industry, and thereby the overall prospects of the construction industry at large.” However, he added that land constraints and water shortage posed a serious setback to the sector.
 
In the plenary session architect Nitin Killawala, Director, Nitin Killawala and Associates explained the importance of cement as the most versatile material which can be used underwater, over water and almost anywhere. Cement can also be used in high rise buildings as it can withstand rough weather.
 
Mr. Vinod Juneja, Executive Committee Member, FICCI, discussed financial issues facing the Indian construction sector. He said, “The cement industry should be given  infrastructure status and RBI needs to change various norms relating to sanctioning of loans to the construction industry. The cement sector should be allowed special concessions while borrowing loans. The building industry should move away from self-financing mechanism and function as a corporate institute,” he said.  
The seminar featured discussions on the overview of the industry, the role of architecture in the context of innovation, cement industry outlook, next generation cement technology, cost-effective technological trends in the global construction industry and use of fly ash.
 
The seminar also focused on Ready Mixed Concrete - the most popular building material in modern construction, known for its quality assurance. The importance of structural aspects in construction and sustainable architecture in the light of innovation in building materials were also presented.