ACC is concerned with the environmental impacts of its products. The most significant ways this concern is exhibited is through its utilization of waste by-products such as fly ash and slag to manufacture blended cements which help conserve limestone resources ACC promotes sustainable construction in other ways such as by implementing environment-friendly projects of its own and by advocating the use of concrete to build India’s roads. ACC is inspired by the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction to promote and encourage sustainable construction projects in the country.

Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction
The Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction promotes sustainable responses to the technological, environmental, socioeconomic and cultural issues affecting building and construction at the national, regional and global levels. Its activities include regional and global Holcim Awards competitions for sustainable construction projects and visions, offering prize money of US$ 2 million every three years. The Holcim Foundation is supported by Holcim Ltd but is independent of its commercial interests. www.holcimfoundation.org

Research on Sustainable Construction and Affordable Habitats
ACC has signed an MOU with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay for setting up a faculty research fellowship in the area of Sustainable Construction and Affordable Habitats. This project supports a group of faculty who are involved in:

• Examining and recommending innovative approaches to sustainable construction
• Design for affordable habitats based on regional variations
• Promoting interdisciplinary approaches that complement or expand the institute’s existing research and knowledge base in this field

This research partnership will focus on the five target issues spelt out by the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction:

• Social Responsibility : Ethical standards & social equity
• Environment performance: management of natural resources
• Economic efficiency: feasibility and resource optimisation
• Progress : Technological advancements, replicability and scalability
• Proficiency : Engineering and Architectural quality

Green Buildings
A Green Building is defined by the Indian Green Building Council as one which uses less water, optimizes energy efficiency, conserves natural resources, generates less waste and provides healthier spaces for occupants, as compared to a conventional building. ACC has accomplished four instances of environment-friendly buildings. Two of them, including our corporate headquarters building, vividly demonstrate that green buildings need not only be Greenfield projects but can easily be conceived as simple yet inventive solutions for restoration and renovation of old structures.

Cement House

La Resdiency

ACC Kudithini Merriment Guild

ACC Chanda Central Control Room

Cement House
Our corporate headquarters in Mumbai, now more than 70-years old, was transformed into an energy-efficient green building. While retaining the graceful façade, the interiors have metamorphosed into a contemporary workplace. In April 2010, Cement House received the Gold Shield from Indian Green Buildings Council in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design under New Construction and Major renovation category. It is the first old building to be awarded Green building status. Cement House also received 5-star rating from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEEE).

La Residency Hostel
La Residency at Thane, a 45 year old residential apartment block, was redesigned and converted as a state-of-the-art residential facility for faculty and participants of the ACC Academy, our modern learning centre at Thane. The building incorporates a unique air-conditioning arrangement based on a heat exchange system using bore-well ground water that takes advantage of the fact that sub-terranean water is cooler than that on the earth's surface. La Residency is a pre construction platinum rated LEED Project

ACC Kudithini Merriment Guild
A prototype of just one element of a vision for an entire sustainable township suggested for ACC's newest cement plant at Kudithini in Karnataka, the ACC Kudithini Merriment Guild (AKMG) is our newest green building which promotes the principles of sustainable construction incorporating local materials & techniques. Its climate responsive design is tailored to suit the local environment and predominant wind direction such that the structure benefits from natural air conditioning, air circulation and cooling by channelling the wind through it and facilitating effective ventilation. Additional design features include provisions for water or air filled cavity walls that serve as 'cooling tubes' along living spaces.

ACC Chanda Central Control Room
The Central Control room (CCR) building of the new Chanda cement plant in Maharashtra is designed as an energy efficient building based on Green Building principles. This three storied building with a floor area of 2000 square metres sits on a plot measuring about 7800 square metres which is itself landscaped as a Green Certified Open area. Built with environment friendly products and techniques, it used a high proportion of recycled and locally available building material and accessories while the main structure itself was constructed with Fly-ash based cement and fly ash bricks.

It is powered partly by renewable solar energy and with overall energy consumption brought down below the base line. The roof is lined with highly reflective material to minimize the impact of external heat while indoor air quality ambience is managed through an efficient HVAC system. It is equipped with well established rainwater harvesting, water conservation and waste management systems. Daylight is harvested by well-designed windows, doors and exterior interfaces which ensure that most of the regularly occupied spaces have access to open day light and a good outdoor view. Special sensors monitor CO2 levels in all occupied areas round the clock.

The Chanda CCR building is indeed unique for a factory environment making it possibly the first industrial building in India to receive LEED Certification by the Indian Green Buildings Council.