Hilti’s Vadodara Plant Earns India’s First DGNB Gold Certification

28 Jul 2025 CW Team

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.

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.

Infrastructure Urban

27 Oct 2025

Coal Ministry Achieves Milestones under Special Campaign 5.0

The Ministry of Coal and its Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have achieved notable milestones under the Special Campaign 5.0, focusing on cleanliness, operational efficiency, and sustainability across the coal sector. During the implementation phase from 2–31 October 2025, over 1,205 sites were cleaned, covering 68,04,087 sq ft, nearing the target of 82,51,511 sq ft. Scrap disposal of 5,813 MT against a target of 8,678 MT generated Rs 228.7 million in revenue. In addition, 1,11,248 physical and 30,331 electronic files were reviewed, with 74,123 weeded out or closed. Key initiatives showc..

Infrastructure Energy

27 Oct 2025

Vesting Orders Issued for Three Coal Blocks under Commercial Auctions

The Ministry of Coal’s Nominated Authority has issued vesting orders for three coal blocks under commercial coal block auctions on 23 October 2025. The Coal Mine Development and Production Agreements (CMDPAs) for these mines were earlier signed on 21 August 2025. The three blocks include Rajgamar Dipside (Deavnara), Tangardihi North, and Mahuagarhi. Of these, two are partially explored while one is fully explored, with a combined peak rated capacity of around 1 MTPA and geological reserves of approximately 1,484.41 million tonnes. These mines are expected to generate annual revenue of abou..

Infrastructure Urban

27 Oct 2025

TEC, IIT-Hyderabad Partner to Boost 6G and Telecom Standards

The Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), technical arm of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad) for joint research and technical collaboration in advanced telecom technologies and standardisation. The partnership focuses on developing India-specific standards and test frameworks for next-generation networks, including 6G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs). It also aims to enhance India’s participation in international standardisation f..