GGGI-ASCI Hyderabad Workshop Empanels Master Trainers to Propel Low Carbon Building Practices in India

Hyderabad, India – April 29, 2025 |  The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) co-organized a two-day workshop on low carbon buildings.As part of the Asia Low Carbon Buildings Transition (ALCBT) project’s professional Low Carbon Buildings (LCB) Training Program, the event launched a Master Trainer Certification Program and formally empaneled Master Trainers who will deliver specialized training to employees of government agencies and financial institutions.

“The nationwide transition toward low carbon buildings requires coordinated action and strategic alignment across all sectors of the building ecosystem. Collaborative engagement among industry stakeholders is critical not only to promote sustainable construction practices, but also to embed low-carbon principles into policies, investment frameworks, and institutional capacities that enable long-term climate resilience,” said Ms. Julie Robles, ALCBT Project Manager at GGGI, in opening the session.

Sri Devender Reddy, Director of the Directorate of Town & Country Planning, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), highlighted the commendable efforts undertaken by the Government of Telangana and acknowledged the support extended by ASCI in effectively implementing crucial policies such as the Cool Roofs and the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) at both the state and national levels. Shri Soumya Prasad Garnaik, GGGI’s Country Representative for India, introduced the intensive two-day agenda and emphasized the critical role of the new Master Trainers in strengthening professional knowledge across the country.

Participants  were equipped with knowledge across a range of topics, including India’s energy landscape and building efficiency programs, adaptive thermal comfort design, the principles of net-zero carbon buildings, solar passive design techniques and energy audit methodologies, sustainable cooling technologies and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, building energy codes, carbon trading mechanisms, and ESCO business models, and financing solutions for low carbon buildings. The LCB Training Program is available here.

Training sessions were facilitated by prominent experts in the field, such as Dr. Abdullah Nisar Siddiqui (UNDP), Prof. Rajkiran V Bilolikar (ASCI), V Srinivas Murthy (Synergy Infra Consultants), and Prof. Pavan Kumar Parnandi (ASCI).

Looking ahead, the Master Trainers will spearhead further capacity-building workshops nationwide, targeting the training of at least 90 government stakeholders and 250 stakeholders from financial institutions. This strategic approach aims to accelerate the adoption of LCB practices across India,building on the initial momentum gathered by the Hyderabad workshop, which served as an encouraging start toward advancing a more sustainable built environment in India.

About ALCBT

The Asia Low Carbon Buildings Transition (ALCBT) Project seeks to significantly reduce GHG emissions by catalyzing nationwide transitions towards low carbon buildings in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Funded by the Government of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI), the project is implemented by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in partnership with the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), and HEAT International.

In India, the project operates under the guidance of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). Capacity building efforts in the country will benefit over 2,000 individuals, including government officials, architects, engineers, building developers and owners, ESCOs, financial institutions, material manufactures, and technology providers, to promote low carbon building design and sustainable practices. Learn more about project activities in India here. 

About GGGI

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. Since its establishment as an international organization at the RIO+20 Conference in 2012, GGGI’s membership has grown from 18 founding signatories to 50 Members and 29 Partner States at the end of 2024.

In India, GGGI partners with Central and State Government agencies to embed green growth into the nation’s development agenda. Since 2018, GGGI’s efforts in green investments, policy advisory, and capacity building across renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable landscapes have accelerated India’s progress towards its national targets and global environmental goals.

About ASCI

The Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) is a premier national institution dedicated to enhancing governance, leadership, and organizational effectiveness through comprehensive training programs, impactful research, and expert consultancy services. ASCI plays a vital role in shaping India’s developmental trajectory across diverse sectors.