Ahmedabad’s rapid transition towards high-rise housing could substantially increase the city’s embodied carbon emissions over the coming decades unless construction practices become more sustainable, according to new academic research. The findings suggest that while vertical development can accommodate urban growth and reduce land consumption, the materials used in large-scale residential construction may significantly influence the city’s long-term climate footprint.
The study estimates that Ahmedabad will require approximately 3.1 million additional homes by 2050 to accommodate a growing urban population. Much of this demand is expected to be met through apartment buildings as higher Floor Space Index (FSI) limits and limited land availability encourage denser urban development across the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) region. Researchers project that flats, which accounted for just over half of the city’s housing stock in 2015, could represent more than four-fifths of all homes by mid-century. The shift towards taller residential buildings is expected to accelerate further, with a growing share of affordable and premium housing moving towards high-rise construction.
The report warns that meeting future housing demand under current building practices would require enormous quantities of cement and steel—materials that carry significant embodied carbon, referring to greenhouse gas emissions generated during their production, transportation and construction. Without changes in material sourcing or construction techniques, these emissions could become a major contributor to Ahmedabad’s overall carbon footprint. Experts in sustainable urban development note that embodied carbon is becoming an increasingly important challenge for rapidly growing cities. While operational emissions from buildings can be reduced through energy-efficient design and renewable energy, emissions associated with construction materials are released before a building is even occupied, making them harder to offset later. The study also raises concerns about the short lifecycle of many urban buildings. Researchers observed that structures are frequently demolished well before the end of their intended design life, resulting in avoidable material consumption and additional construction-related emissions.
Extending building lifespans through adaptive reuse and structural retrofitting could significantly reduce resource demand over time. Another challenge identified is the limited recycling of construction and demolition waste. Although Ahmedabad has systems for collecting debris, much of the material reportedly bypasses formal recycling channels, reducing opportunities to reuse aggregates and other construction materials in new developments. Urban planners argue that achieving sustainable growth will require stronger policies promoting low-carbon building materials, mandatory recycling of demolition waste, circular construction practices and climate-sensitive development regulations. Encouraging mid-rise, mixed-use neighbourhoods where appropriate, alongside improved building efficiency standards, could also help reduce long-term environmental impacts. As Ahmedabad continues to expand, the research highlights the need to balance housing demand with climate resilience. Integrating embodied carbon considerations into planning decisions may become increasingly important if the city is to support future growth while progressing towards lower-emission urban development.
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