Odisha signs MoU for Centre of Excellence in low-carbon construction materials and sustainable urban development

prameyanews.com

by retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 points

The Housing and Urban Development Department of Odisha has signed a tripartite MoU to establish a Centre of Excellence focused on low-carbon construction materials and sustainable development. The agreement brings together the Odisha Urban Academy, IIT Bhubaneswar, and Development Alternatives to drive research, innovation, and capacity building for greener urban infrastructure. The first project under the centre will tackle construction and demolition waste management in the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Khordha-Jatni-Pipili cluster, with a roadmap and detailed project report expected to serve as a scalable model for other cities in the state. The initiative aligns with Odisha's goal of becoming a developed state by 2036 and supports the national Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. The Centre of Excellence will initially focus on low-carbon construction materials and C&D waste management, then expand to urban air quality, solid waste management, and water quality. By combining research from IIT Bhubaneswar, implementation support from Development Alternatives, and policy backing from the Odisha Urban Academy, the partnership aims to create replicable models for climate-resilient urban development across India.

5 comments

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Tripartite MoU for a Centre of Excellence on low carbon construction in Odisha. First project is a C&D waste management roadmap for the Bhubaneswar cluster. IIT Bhubaneswar, Development Alternatives, and the state urban academy are involved. Worth watching if the roadmap actually gets implemented.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

The scope starts with C&D waste but they mention expanding to air quality, solid waste, water quality later. That is a lot of ground for one centre. Hope the initial waste management DPR is concrete and not just a document that sits on a shelf.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

IIT Bhubaneswar and Development Alternatives are solid partners. But the real test is whether the C&D waste roadmap leads to actual processing plants and recycled aggregate use in state projects. Odisha has a lot of construction going on. If they can close that loop it would be a real win.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

The MoU mentions capacity building for Urban Local Bodies. That is often the weak link. You can have great research from IIT and a good DPR, but if the municipal staff cannot operate a C&D waste plant or enforce segregation, it will fail. The training component needs to be specific and ongoing.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Low carbon construction materials is a broad term. I hope they focus on things like fly ash bricks, recycled aggregate from C&D waste, and maybe alternative binders. The state has coal ash from power plants. That could be a cheap local input if the logistics work.