BirlaNu CEO and managing director Akshat Seth said that while India lags behind in adopting eco-friendly methods in the construction industry when compared to other countries, the initial conversations about these practices have certainly begun.

Inaugurating the BirlaNu experience centre in Vijayawada on Thursday, Mr. Akshat Seth, who is also the vice-chairman of Birla Healthcare stated that in developed countries, a lot of commercial specifications are driven by whether a company has the right certification and depending on their ecological impact, a company can be qualified or disqualified from a project.

“In those countries, every company is competing to show how responsible they are. While India is yet to reach that stage, talks around sustainability and the ecological impact of raw materials used in the construction industry have begun to take root in the country,” he said, hoping that in two years’ time, not just companies but consumers will also think about making conscious choices.

Explaining some of the challenges that the building sector faces in shifting to the eco-friendly models, Mr. Akshat Seth said that sometimes it is the pricing factor, while at other times it could be inertia.

The experience centre, which demonstrates various products, including walls, floors, pipes, and putty in simulated application contexts, will help consumers make an informed choices. He added that their choice of eco-friendly raw materials will help reduce carbon footprint.

While informing the media about their fibre cement board plant in Nellore district, Mr. Akshat Seth said he looked forward to be part of Andhra Pradeh’s growth story and parternering with government for future projects.