Build Ahead

Accelerating the decarbonisation of India’s construction sector via increased use of low-carbon building materials including cement, concrete, glass, steel.

Our Areas of Work

Shifting the construction value chain towards a more sustainable future across four objectives.

From more efficient operations to regenerative business models: Redefining leadership for a complex world

Engaged leadership

Create a platform for forward leaning businesses to work together across the construction value chain and accelerate the industry towards net-zero emissions.

Increased awareness

Build and strengthen alliances within and beyond the Indian construction sector to increase the use of low-carbon building materials, and to change mindsets to accelerate the adoption of these materials.

Aligned priorities

Develop a shared narrative on the Indian cement sector’s continued interest, as well as the Indian construction sector’s interest in decarbonisation by showcasing the potential impact of sectoral action.

Create impetus

Support first movers and de-risk investments for scaling innovative decarbonisation technologies and low-carbon building materials, by enabling better access to diverse sources of enabling finance.

India’s Built Environment Challenge

2.6bn
Tonnes of CO2 that India, as the world's third-largest emitter releases, with 2040 levels expected to be 50% greater than those in 2019.

2nd
India is the 2nd largest producer of cement and steel in the world and these industries are responsible for 8% and 12% of national emissions respectively.

2050
Year when cement production in India is expected to grow by 2 to 2.5 times from current levels, and Indian Steel demand is projected to quadruple.

Thought Leadership and Reports

Insights that are generating positive impact for communities, businesses, the environment and individuals.

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Our Areas of Work

Six workstreams, working together, to achieve a net-zero built environment via innovation in the cement and steels sectors.

Agree on common ambitions with respect to climate commitments and develop operational actions to be made by producers and consumers towards these commitments.

“We are extremely proud to be a part of Build Ahead to help support the transition towards India achieving a low-carbon future. With the coalition, through collaboration with other partners, we will be able to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment and support the Prime Minister’s pledge of net-zero emissions for India by 2070.”
- Sandeep Sethi
- Managing Director
- Work Dynamics – West Asia, JLL
“With our shared ambition to accelerate decarbonisation of built environments in India, and encourage cross-sectoral collaboration, we are proud to launch Build Ahead – a coalition that brings together key cement producers, construction companies, technology enablers and financiers to create measurable impact, and support the country to meet its climate goals.”
- Vipul Kumar
- Senior Partner
- Xynteo
"JSW Cement is strongly committed to achieving sustainability across all of its operations. In fact, our product has the lowest carbon emission intensity in the world. In our effort to accelerate our progress on the decarbonisation journey, we are excited to join Xynteo's 'Build Ahead' coalition and work with other business leaders who also share a goal of a carbon-neutral future. Through this collaboration, we will further contribute to India’s rapid growth, that too in a sustainable way.”
- Parth Jindal
- Managing Director
- JSW Cement
“The Build Ahead coalition initiative by Xynteo, to help decarbonize the construction materials sector in India, aligns well with our organization’s commitment towards ‘Environment Stewardship’, and our strategy of promoting ‘Good & Green’ products and solutions. At Godrej Construction, we are keen to learn from the global best sustainability practices adopted by leading organizations. We are also glad to share our knowledge and best practices about sustainable development with others in the Construction and Real Estate industry, as it would help us accelerate our industry’s journey towards Net Zero built environment.”
- Anup Mathew
- Senior Vice President & Business Head
- Godrej Construction
“SED Fund is very happy to support the Build Ahead Coalition by  Xynteo and other partners in creating a platform for systemic collaboration and action geared towards accelerating the adoption of low carbon building materials, and to scale existing efforts of decarbonising industrial sectors.”
- Vikas Mehta
- Executive Director
- SED Fund
“Embodied carbon is a significant component in overall carbon emissions and gets majorly locked in even before the start of the useful life of the real estate; it needs coordinated effort by all key stakeholders in the ecosystem for its abatement. ‘Build Ahead’ coalition is a valuable step in that direction, it also resonates with our ongoing decarbonisation efforts, where we are taking leadership by focussing not only on our operations & products, but we also plan to offer decarbonisation templates that can be followed by the industry at large.”
- Aun Abdullah
- Deputy Vice President – Design and ESG Lead
- Lodha
JSW Cement is strongly committed to achieving sustainability across all of its operations. In fact, our product has the lowest carbon emission intensity in the world. In our effort to accelerate our progress on the decarbonisation journey, we are excited to join Xynteo's 'Build Ahead' coalition and work with other business leaders who also share a goal of a carbon-neutral future. Through this collaboration, we will further contribute to India’s rapid growth, that too in a sustainable way.”
- Parth Jindal
- Managing Director
- JSW Cement