Hilti Manufacturing India’s plant in Vadodara, Gujarat, has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first industrial facility in the country to be awarded the prestigious DGNB Gold Certification from the German Sustainable Building Council. This achievement underscores Hilti’s commitment to sustainable, future-ready infrastructure and its global promise of productivity, safety and sustainability.

The DGNB certification, one of the world’s most rigorous sustainability benchmarks, assesses buildings throughout their entire lifecycle—from planning and construction to operations and eventual decommissioning. It evaluates key criteria such as environmental performance, economic viability, design quality, and user well-being.

Giridhar Jambunathan, Director & Chief Executive Officer, Hilti Manufacturing India, said, “Industrial buildings present unique challenges when it comes to sustainability, given their scale, complexity, and operational demands... The Gold certification is a recognition of our team’s deep commitment to designing a facility that reflects both performance and purpose.”

Johannes Kreißig, Managing Director of the DGNB, commented, “With the successful completion of DGNB certification in India and Hungary, Hilti has demonstrated that they set high standards for holistic sustainable construction...”

The Vadodara plant was developed around DGNB’s core principles of economy, ecology, and sociocultural impact. It features a flexible layout, passive design elements, and advanced energy-efficient systems. The facility includes a radiant cooling system with chilled beams and water-based convection, delivering thermal comfort at a significantly reduced energy cost.

Ecological efforts include a 1500 MWh photovoltaic setup, rainwater harvesting, 100 per cent water recycling, and a Miyawaki forest spanning 25 per cent of the campus area. Efforts to curb light pollution and increase biodiversity further highlight the facility’s environmental priorities.

On the social front, Hilti prioritised employee well-being through accessible design, inclusive infrastructure, clean indoor air (tested for 170+ VOCs), acoustic comfort, and wellness zones like yoga, fitness, and childcare facilities.

Hilti’s sustainable construction journey began in 2010 in Austria, and the Vadodara plant joins other DGNB-certified Hilti sites in Austria and Hungary. The company continues to integrate sustainability across all upcoming projects.