Gurugram (Haryana) [India], May 3 (ANI/NewsVoir): Under the 'Cleaner Air and Better Health' (CABH) project supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Signature Global (India) Limited and the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) announced the deployment of a first-of-its-kind air quality monitoring network in Gurugram. The network comprises of 9 air quality monitors and 1 automatic weather station, the data from which will be available to project developers and the research team through a dashboard that will capture pollution concentrations during different on-site construction activities. The network will strengthen regulation of pollution activities on construction sites and promote clean construction practices.

Speaking on the occasion, Pradeep Aggarwal, Founder & Chairman, Signature Global (India) Ltd, said, "The government has had to impose occasional blanket bans on construction activities every year in a bid to reduce air pollution. These bans, in turn, have led to project delays and impacted all stakeholders, including homebuyers, investors, and developers. Henceforth, we have partnered with CEEW to explore innovative ways to mitigate air pollution on construction sites and embrace cleaner construction practices. We hope that this pilot sets a new precedent for clean and green construction practices and encourages other real estate developers to follow Signature Global's lead in adopting similar pollution-monitoring and control methods."

Commenting on the MoU, Dr Arunabha Ghosh, CEO, CEEW said, "In India's rapidly expanding urbanscape, construction and demolition activities represent an important source of air pollution. A construction site, by virtue of its proximity to existing living spaces, can have an outsized role in residents' exposure to pollution. Monitoring air quality around construction sites and introducing protocols that promote self-regulation by the industry and demonstrate their best practices is an important first step in mitigating this large source."

The pilot is part of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Signature Global (India) Ltd. and CEEW to collaborate on finding solutions to reduce air pollution from construction activities under the CABH project. The CABH project aims to mitigate the impacts of air pollution in India by working on different approaches to reduce exposure, empower communities by driving awareness to build their agency to take preventive actions, and improve evidence with respect to the issue through research and interventions on ground.

Recently, Haryana State Pollution Control Board issued a public notice directing all project sites of more than 500 square meters to install reliable PM2.5 and PM10 sensors to measure microscopic fractions of particulate matter or PM (a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets) in the air, which cause serious health problems when inhaled. In response to this, CEEW and Signature Global's pilot will aid pollution monitoring, developing a dust management plan, and also, wherever possible, nudging the behaviour of construction workers and builders to better manage construction dust and reduce local air pollution.

Signature Global is desirous of obtaining an independent opinion on Real Estate Market Trends in India in general and in Gurgaon as well as on affordable housing, in particular. Most of the projects launched between 2020 to 2022 are certified by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) in accordance with the IGBC green affordable housing system or have received EDGE certification in affordable housing segment across Delhi-NCR. Company's efforts towards sustainability have been recognised through various awards and recognitions including the Signature Global group being conferred the 8th IGBC Green Champion Award under the category of 'Developer Leading the Green Affordable Housing Movement in India'.

The Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) is one of Asia's leading not-for-profit policy research institutions. The Council uses data, integrated analysis, and strategic outreach to explain - and change - the use, reuse, and misuse of resources. It prides itself on the independence of its high-quality research, develops partnerships with public and private institutions, and engages with wider public. In 2021, CEEW once again featured extensively across ten categories in the 2020 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report. The Council has also been consistently ranked among the world's top climate change think tanks. Follow us on Twitter @CEEWIndia for the latest updates.

Cleaner Air and Better Health (CABH) is a five year (2021 to 2026) programme supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It aims to strengthen air pollution mitigation and reduce exposure to air pollution in selected regions of India. The programme is being implemented by a consortium led by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and includes ASAR Social Impact Advisers (ASAR), Environmental Design Solutions (EDS), Enviro Legal Defence Firm (ELDF), and Vital Strategies (VS).

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