Decoupling Energy and Resource Use from Growth in the Indian Construction Sector

India is currently at a crucial juncture where it is aiming for economic growth to meet the basic needs of its 1.2 billion people. However, this growth has so far resulted in energy shortages and the increasing use of limited resources. In the DECIBS project, the Wuppertal Institute together with TARA India have investigated ways to decouple growth in the construction sector and the use of resources. Decision-makers in the sector will play a crucial role in achieving the needed transformation. This policy brief series provides stakeholders with the necessary information on how to improve efficiency to reduce the resources and energy needed for this growth and meet the country's increasing development needs, in short: decoupling.

The construction sector is highly resource and energy intensive and therefore needs to be included in the transition towards environmental sustainability. It is likely that this transition is achieved by decoupling both resource and energy use from the sector's growth.

Policy brief 1 focuses on the baseline for decoupling in the Indian construction sector. The study draws attention to the existing scenario in terms of key policies, research and institutions linked to resources and energy in the sector.

In policy brief 2, the potential for decoupling is analysed and the influencing factors are identified. Subsequently, the authors established a framework to measure the nature and extent of decoupling that is possible within the existing policy environment. In addition, lessons learnt from good practice examples in Germany and other European countries have been studied to help bridge the current gaps in India.

Finally, policy brief 3 focuses on recommendations both at national and state level on the possible interventions that could result in resource and energy use being decoupled from growth in the Indian construction sector.

The policy brief series by Pratibha Ruth Caleb, Sriraj Gokarakonda, Rohan Jain, Zeenat Niazi, Vaibhav Rathi, Shritu Shrestha, Stefan Thomas, and Kilian Topp is available for free download from the Wuppertal Institute's publication server.