The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) organised the inaugural Green Varanasi Conclave 2026, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, urban planners and academia to promote sustainable development while preserving the city's cultural heritage.Held under the theme Green Varanasi: Preserving Heritage, Building a Sustainable Future, the conclave focused on accelerating the adoption of green buildings, climate-resilient infrastructure, clean energy and resource-efficient urban development.According to IGBC, Varanasi currently has 38 IGBC-registered projects covering 5.73 million sq ft, including 28 commercial, six residential, two industrial and logistics, and two transit infrastructure projects. The city also has 15 IGBC-certified green buildings.At the state level, Uttar Pradesh has 1,736 IGBC-registered projects spanning 1.83 billion sq ft, while 692 projects covering 201.3 million sq ft have received IGBC certification.Addressing the conclave, Himanshu Nagpal, Municipal Commissioner, Varanasi Municipal Corporation, said future development must prioritise sustainability by addressing challenges such as declining groundwater levels, rising energy demand and shrinking green spaces. He urged developers to adopt resource-efficient and green building practices.The event also marked the launch of the IGBC Student Chapter at IIT (BHU), Varanasi, aimed at promoting sustainability awareness among future professionals.A panel discussion explored sustainable urban transformation, covering policy, green infrastructure, tourism and heritage conservation, with participation from representatives of IIT (BHU), Larsen & Toubro, CREDAI Purvanchal, Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport and the Varanasi Architects Association.The conclave concluded with recommendations on policy support, capacity building and wider adoption of green building practices to position Varanasi as a model for sustainable heritage-led urban development.