Community Resilience Shelter

Isaac Emmanuel
Professor of Practice, Somaiya Vidyavihar University

With over 30 years in the polymer industry at Bayer MaterialScience/Covestro, Isaac Emmanuel has excelled in sales, marketing, innovation, and sustainability. He pioneered new materials and innovations in affordable housing, food security, and agro-waste construction applications. Isaac served on the Executive Committee of the Indian Polyurethane Association, where he remains active in the Technical Committee. He also contributes to the India Insulation Forum, Spray Foam Alliance of India, and edits PU Today magazine. Previously leading Covestro India’s Inclusive Business division, Isaac now serves as Professor of Practice at Somaiya Vidyavihar University’s Polymer Science Department while consulting for sustainable tech startups. He holds a Masters in Polymer Chemistry and resides in Navi Mumbai.

Shailee Goswami
Tech Lead – Building Science R&D l Saint-Gobain Research India

Shailee is an Architect and holds a master’s degree in building energy performance (BEP) from CEPT University, Ahmedabad. With over a decade of experience in building science and sustainable architecture, she has worked with multiple projects related to energy efficiency, indoor comfort assessment, green building certifications and integrated design.

She is currently leading the building science team at Saint-Gobain Research India and is involved in simulations and measurements-based assessment of built environment in Hot & Humid climates.

Peeyush Sekhsaria
Independent Natural Resources & Disaster Risk Management Consultant

Peeyush Sekhsaria is an Architect and Geographer by training. His work in the last 15 years has been in the areas of Disaster Risk and Natural Resources Management, including a 6-year stint with a multilateral agency. He has worked extensively on Multi-purpose Cyclone and Flood Shelters, post-disaster housing reconstruction, and nature-based solutions for disaster risk mitigation. He works as an independent consultant based out of Delhi

Construction Worker Housing

Deepa Parekh  
Net-Zero Education Expert, Principal – Sustainability, Kapadia Associates 

Monish Siripurapu
CEO and Founder, Ant Studio

Monish Siripurapu is an alumnus of SPA Delhi and IAAC, Spain and the founder and Principal Architect of Ant Studio. His studio has received international recognition for their work on Nature inspired Biophilic Passive Cooling Building Envelopes. Their nature based low-carbon air-cooling solution, called the ‘CoolAnt’, won the Asia Pacific Low Carbon Footprint Challenge and was funded by UNEP. Monish is a TEDx speaker and has also presented his work at the TMK knowledge forum part of G20 summit at Bali, Science Museum London, Google’s Anthropocene, UCL Bartlett, CEDIM Mexico, IAAC Barcelona, and Construction symposium Ekaterinburg in Russia. He was a keynote speaker at the World Environment Day New Delhi, 2018. Monish was a visiting faculty at SPA, Delhi and has also lectured and exhibited his works in various IIT’s and IIM’s in the country. His works have also been published in the History Channel, CNN, World Economic Forum, Architectural Digest, Inhabitat, and ArchDaily.

Nilesh Sonawane
India Commercial Leader, Owens Corning

Nilesh has been working with Owens Corning for the last ~14 years handling the insulation business for the company. He has represented the organisation at various government and industry forums like IGBC, NCCD, CII-Cold Chain Task Force, India Insulation Forum, Thermal Insulation Committee of BIS, and ISHRAE/ASHRAE. His passion for leading techno-commercial assignments has resulted in many firsts in India including, the XPS foam-based insulation, and large-scale commercialisation of external wall insulation system. Nilesh has held various leadership positions, VP – Marketing with a composite material start-up and Product Manager-Insulation products with Styrenics major. Nilesh, is an alum of IIM–Ahmedabad, NMIMS-Mumbai, and MIT-Pune.

Educational Building

Elise Roussel
Bioclimatic Design Engineer, Transsolar

Elise joined Transsolar in 2018, working on the seamless integration of climate-responsive strategies in projects worldwide. As an expert in CFD flow simulation, she focuses on ventilation of indoor spaces as well as wind comfort of outdoor urban spaces. She has taught at the State Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart in Stuttgart and was invited as guest lecturer at Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Innsbruck.

Samit Bhowmick
Co-founder, Veratatva

Samit is co-founder at VeraTatva, a collaborative consulting firm that specializes in high performance, sustainable building designs. He is also co-founder at Tarsa Analytics, a firm that focusses on IT applications and data analytics in the building sector. Samit is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years of experience in design and project management of MEP projects for a variety of applications like power plants, ships, commercial buildings and cleanrooms. Samit is passionate about performance based and environmentally design. He is also passionate about the use of technology in building design and operation.

Saket Sarraf
Prinsipal, ps Collective 

Dr Saket Sarraf is the Founder and Principal at ps Collective, a platform advancing sustainable development through advocacy, research, policy analysis, and consultancy. Committed to a just energy transition, he integrates stakeholder engagement, advanced modelling, and policy research to support informed decision-making. His work spans energy systems, buildings, transportation, and cities, focusing on equitable and efficient decarbonization strategies.

Office Building

Sandeep Doddaballapur
Associate Director, Environmental Design Solutions

Sandeep Doddaballapur is an Associate Director at Environmental Design Solutions, with over 15 years of experience in building performance, sustainability, and architectural design. Trained as an architect and urban designer, he holds dual master’s degrees from Arizona State University in Built Environment and Urban Design. His career spans impactful roles in the U.S. and India, driving energy efficiency, climate-responsive architecture, and integrated design solutions. Passionate about education and research, Sandeep blends technical expertise with a holistic sustainability vision, contributing to policy, practice, and pedagogy in the built environment.

Sangita Jhangiani
Founder, Enova

Sangita Jhangiani is the founder and Principal of an engineering consulting firm Enova. Her team at Enova has designed MEP services for projects of varied applications, which include offices, hospital, residences, commercial buildings to name a few. Sangita has been an active member of ISHRAE and has served in the society in many roles. Articles authored by her have been published in the ISHRAE Journal. Sangita is the President elect of ASHRAE Mumbai chapter. Sangita is also an IGBC AP.

Dhiraj Wadhwa
Director, Commercial & Overseas Business, Carrier Corporation

At Carrier, Dhiraj has been managing and leading HVAC Businesses for the India region. He is currently responsible for the Commercial Business in the India region and the Overseas Business. He simultaneously engages with nodal agencies to advocate for Energy Efficient Built environments. A Mechanical Engineer with a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management, Dhiraj has over two decades of experience in the HVAC segment. His passion for energy efficiency encourages him to share the same knowledge with the HVAC fraternity for its application at suitable platforms.

Residential Cooling Retrofit

Kshitij Sawant
Solution Consultant – Sahaj Software

Kshitij is a Solution Consultant with a focus on Product Innovation at Sahaj. His expertise lies at the crossroads of consumer research, design, product development, and brand strategy, providing invaluable insights to fuel business growth. A passionate innovation strategist and a systems thinker, he crafts frameworks that facilitate the transformation of ideas into human-centric products that help propel innovation agendas for organisations. With a 19-year career spanning architecture and design, Kshitij holds a Master’s degree in Design Methods from the Institute of Design, Chicago, a Master in Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, and a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Sir J.J. School of Architecture, Mumbai.

Yash Shukla  
Principal Researcher & Centre Head, Centre for Advanced Research in Building Science and Energy CRDF, CEPT University

Yash is the Center Head and Principal Researcher at CARBSE and brings over twenty years of expertise in high-performance buildings. He has spearheaded groundbreaking research projects including low-energy cooling and ventilation systems in Indian residences, evaluation of innovative cooling technologies, and benchmarking of Indian buildings. He is affiliated with the Master of Technology in Building Energy Performance (MBEP) program at CEPT University, where he teaches courses and supervises capstone projects. His current research focuses on simulation model calibration, smart grids, low-energy cooling, performance characterisation of novel envelope and air conditioning systems, and next-generation control algorithm development.

Himansha Singh  
Co-founder, Craste

Dr Himansha Singh is a scientist, entrepreneur, and sustainability advocate dedicated to transforming the materials industry through innovation. Her work significantly contributes to reducing carbon emissions and deforestation in this high-emission, timber-dependent sector. A former BBSRC Research Fellow (University of Cambridge, UK) and CV Raman Fellow (IISc, India), she earned her PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Cambridge on a fully funded CISS scholarship. Her research excellence was recognized with the CSAR Award for outstanding applied research at Cambridge.

Driven by a passion for sustainability, she co-founded Craste, a pioneering company that converts agricultural waste into India’s first NAF-grade (No Added Formaldehyde) engineered boards, matching HDHMR quality while being completely toxic fumes free. Craste’s breakthrough technology not only addresses stubble burning, deforestation and pollution but also provides a cost-competitive, eco-friendly and quality alternative to timber-based products. The company has been widely recognised, winning multiple national and international awards for its innovation in greener, safer and tougher materials for construction and furniture.

With a strong background in translational research, material innovation, and business development, Himansha focuses on applying scientific advancements to create practical, sustainable solutions that drive meaningful environmental and social impact.

Grand Jury

Aiyappa Somayanda  
Chief Business Officer, Brigade REAP  

Aiyappa is an entrepreneur recognised for his innovative contributions to start-ups. With over 15 years of diverse experience, he co-founded Bamboo Tribe, a successful sustainable apparel brand, that led it to profitability within six months. As the Chief Business Officer at Brigade REAP, he mentors start-ups, drives marketing initiatives, and selects high-potential businesses for the accelerator program. Previously, at YourStory, he spearheaded strategic initiatives and revenue-generating projects. Aiyappa’s career includes leadership roles at LeEco, Xiaomi India, and consulting firms. He holds a PGPM from IIM Trichy and a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in sustainable business and digital transformation.

Abhishek Agarwal  
Director, Apaar Energy   

Abhishek Agarwal, Director at Apaar Energy, a leading renewable energy company in Uttar Pradesh and is working towards promoting the Green revolution in North India for the last decade. Company is actively working with architects, builders and the government sector and working on promoting energy efficiency through use of intelligent lighting, automation, and renewable energy solutions.

Abhishek and his team have also launched ‘Green Construction + Design’, a magazine and an online platform to promote sustainable architecture technologies and green building products. A graduate from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University, Abhishek went to Management Development Institute, Gurgaon for his post-graduation.

Amitabha Sur  
Presidential Member – ISHRAE and Partner – Advance Comfort Engineers LLP  

Amitabha Sur is an HVACR professional with 38 years of specialised experience in hospital air-conditioning, PLC-based control rooms, and industrial ventilation systems. As Presidential Member of ISHRAE and Chair of the Foundation for ISHRAE, he provides industry leadership alongside his roles on multiple advisory committees. He manages Advance Comfort Engineers LLP, an HVAC contracting company partnered with Mitsubishi Electric, Fujitsu General, and Voltas. Additionally, he directs MIB Engineering & Consultants Pvt. Ltd., a turnkey MEP contracting firm. With a B.Sc, B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering, and MBA from Kolkata University, Amitabha expertly handles large turnkey contracts and design-built industrial systems.

Anupam Mittal  
Director, ARINEM Consultancy Services  

Ar. Anupam Mittal, graduated from Government College of Architecture, Lucknow in 1994. He is the Principal Architect and Director of Arinem Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd. which he founded in 1995. ARINEM has its presence throughout India having its offices in Lucknow, Delhi & Bhopal and active sites various other states. Having embraced 30 prolific years in professional practice through his venture ARINEM, he is a laureate in various domains, he spearheads major infrastructure feats encompassing City Development Plans along with extensive involvement in infrastructure projects like Redevelopment of 45+ railway station across 15 states and affordable housing surpassing 25 million sq ft. area for more than a million people. His passion about sports reflects during golfing and he is keen to learn a lot through talk shows, panel discussions and being juror for varied platforms across the country.

Bhaskar Nagendrappa
President, CREDAI Karnataka & Joint MD, Habitat Ventures

Bhaskar T is the epitome of a strong leader that inspires an entire community of people. As a founding member at Habitat Ventures, he has played a pivotal role and continues to shape and chisel the company into a highly respected and trusted organisation. Combining functionality with creative genius is his forte. Bhaskar is the final word when it comes to analysing the scope of projects, designing, and providing optimal and integrated solutions. He also dons the role of an effective advisor and an enabler in strategizing and implementing the development programme after assessing the inherent challenges and constraints.

Jayashree Deshpande  
Director, Council of Architecture – Training & Research Centre (COA – TRC) 

Jayashree Deshpande is a renowned architect, educator, and sociologist based in Pune, India. A university topper and recipient of several awards, she currently serves as Director of the Academic Unit of Council of Architecture, the Training and Research Centre (COA-TRC). In a career dedicated to transforming architectural education, she has led over 500 faculty development programs, encouraging educators to “enable the enablers”—a philosophy that suggests teachers should nurture critical thinking and leadership among students. She promotes interdisciplinary research, and emphasizes socially responsible, sustainable, and context-sensitive architectural practices. She has played a pivotal role in curriculum design, and postgraduate and doctoral program development in several universities across India.

A certified trainer and auditor in Universal Accessibility, she collaborates with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, to advance inclusive design education. She collaborates with government ministries like Ministry of Power, Bureau of Energy efficiency, Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Tourism to deliver continuing education for architects and educators. Jayashree is widely recognised for her contributions to academic policy, research publications, heritage documentation, sustainable design thinking and management of national level awards for academic excellence. She has convened several national and international conferences and is a regular speaker at global platforms advocating socially responsible architecture.

Niladri Prasad Mishra  
Senior Vice President, Head – Global Infrastructure & Climate Action, Infosys  

Niladri Prasad Mishra has been working with Infosys for the past 27+ years and has over 29 years of experience. He has extensive experience in Transforming Real Estate, Financial System & Process. Setting up Distributed Workplace strategies expanding to tier-2 & tier 3 cities as well as influencing significant positive changes to Govt Policy and Process. Since 2020, as a head of Corporate Real Estate orchestrated a paradigm shift in workplace dynamics, revamping building interiors to accommodate hybrid work models. His strategic prowess and dedication have been instrumental in shaping Infosys’ trajectory, exemplifying his commitment to innovation and organisational excellence. He has a Chartered Accountant membership from Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

Prakhar Aggarwal  
Chief Services & Solutions (Nest-In Business), Tata Steel  

Prakhar has a Bachelor’s in Computer Science Engineering from Sir M. Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology in Bangalore, and an MBA in Marketing, Finance and IT from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar. He is a business development and marketing professional with 15+ years of experience in branded product sales, business development, brand management, and innovation. Prior to joining Tata Steel, he worked for Nokia R&D as a Sr. R&D Engineer.

In his initial few years with Tata Steel, he has been responsible for curating Nest-In brand and developing it from an initiative to a construction solutions brand. After that, he handled branded product sales for Tata Steel in Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab & HP, amounting to Rs. 750 Cr per annum. In his current role at Services & Solutions, as Chief Services & Solutions (Nest-In Business), he is responsible for scaling up Nest-In construction solution business to a Rs. 1000 Cr brand in the next 2 years. He has a keen interest in new construction technologies and how innovation in solutions and products can be utilised to give an improved customer experience.

Priyank Garg  
Managing Partner, IAN Alpha fund  

Priyank brings over 26 years of experience in Manufacturing, Technology, and Consulting. A serial entrepreneur and seasoned Angel Investor for 16+ years, he’s ranked among India’s Top 50 by Fortune (2022). With a B.Tech from IIT Delhi and a Master’s from Stanford University, he holds over nine patents. Passionate about sustainability, he led Advance Valves for 14 years, driving global patents, brand revitalisation, lean manufacturing, and digital transformation. He also spearheaded a Solar rooftop business. As Co-Founder of IOTomation, he achieved 25%+ energy savings. Earlier, at Yahoo!, he shaped search engine roadmaps. With roots at Ensim Corporation and Deloitte Consulting, he’s adept in tech and strategy. He is Chair of ACREX Hall of Fame, President of Delhi ISHRAE, past President of ASHRAE India, and TiE Charter Member, he supports Million Sparks Foundation and IIT Delhi.

Rajesh Hegde  
Climate Content Writer, Climate Rubik   

Rajesh has an M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering with industry experience of 4 years in Canadian oil and gas industry and 5 years in the emission LCA for low carbon technologies. He is currently a Research fellow at Rho Impact and a Climate Content writer on his self-publishing platform.

Shiny Varghese  
Senior Editor, The Indian Express   

Shiny has been a senior editor for 12 years and has been following design and architecture in the country, lending her voice to urban issues, and tracking new approaches to design. Her stories evaluate the relevance of design and promote the need for thinking about it as a way of life. From interviews with architects to stories on new materials and experiments in practice, she attempts to present the connection architecture has with people and society. Previously, at Design Today magazine, Shiny curated columns by architects critiquing the profession and showcased projects presenting qualitative aesthetics that did not bow to elitist thinking. With 18 years in design journalism, she poses the crucial question: “Is it necessary?” Shiny has edited design publications, collaborated with organisations, and judged national design competitions. In the past, she has worked with the India Today Lifestyle group, the Deccan Chronicle and Down To Earth.

Rachana Singh  

Head – Planning and Design, Bengaluru Airport City at Kempegowda International Airport

Rachana is an accomplished master planning and design leader with 18+ years of experience in handling large-scale, sustainable, smart, mixed-use developments exceeding 40M sqft. She has a Bachelors in Architecture and Masters in Planning from eminent institutions in India. She heads the team of diverse individual experts in infrastructure, smart city, sustainability, urban design and master planning for Bengaluru Airport City with a rich mix of business, retail and entertainment activities planned with hospitality within the constraints of the Airport Master Plan.

She has expertise in end-to-end design management of sustainable, smart and vibrant projects planning and design in collaboration with global design firms like NBBJ, HOK, ATKINS, DPA etc. Smooth key stakeholders’ coordination, to drive innovative & commercially viable projects. She is also skilled in aligning development goals with organizational vision, navigating regulatory landscapes, and leading diverse teams to deliver impactful, iconic projects. She is a trusted advisor to senior management and peers alike, shaping transformative urban spaces in high-growth markets. She has a proven track record of leading teams to achieve multiple accolades, including awards for innovation in smart city planning and excellence in real estate development, underscoring industry recognition of impactful contributions.