Global Conclave on Sustainable Construction Underway at Kollam

Kollam, December 5, 2024: As Kerala strives to build a more resilient and sustainable future, the UL International Conclave on Sustainable Construction kicked off on Sunday at the Indian Institute of Infrastructure and Construction (IIIC) in Chavara, Kollam. Inaugurating the three-day Conclave, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan emphasised the need for development that leaves no-one behind—a core principle of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The chief minister highlighted Kerala’s commitment to inclusive growth, environmental responsibility, and multifaceted measures to combat challenges posed by climate change.

The conclave brings together a distinguished group of national and international experts to discuss sustainable construction practices and policies. Part of the Uralungal Society’s centenary celebrations, it aims to tackle Kerala’s unique climate challenges while shaping development strategies that are both eco-friendly and resilient to future environmental shifts.

Notable participants include Mark Goldman, Director of ESRI Denver Industries Solutions, USA; Prof. Narayanan Neithalath, University of Arizona, USA; Prof. Pat Rajeev, Chair, Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, Swinburne University, Australia; Dr. Manoranjan Parida, Director of CSIR-CRRI; Dr. L. P. Singh, Director of NCCBM; and Prof. Koshy Varghese, IIT Madras among others from prestigious academic institutions worldwide.

The conclave will feature experts from leading construction firms, including Joseph Martin, Senior Director of ESG Platform at PwC India; Amit Barde, Head of Precast at Larsen &Toubro; Kalyan Vaidyanathan, Business Development Director at Bentley Systems India; and Manoj Verman, Tunneling and Rock Engineering Expert from ISRM Commission on Hard

Rock Excavation. Prominent Kerala figures such as Dr. Jayakumar, former MD and CEO of the Vizhinjam Port Project, will also contribute their insights.

The conclave will include four panel discussions, seven technical sessions, and parallel skill-development workshops. The opening day features a panel discussion on ‘Building Today with Tomorrow: Strategic Insights on Sustainable Infrastructure as the Pillar for a Developed and Resilient India and Kerala’, moderated by Srikanth APV, Director of Global Operations, Singapore Arcadis. Esteemed speakers such as Dr. Jayakumar, Joseph Martin, and Prof. Abhilash S. Nair of IIM Kozhikode will present their views.

A panel discussion titled ‘Innovation in Low Carbon Materials and Design: Challenges and Opportunities’ will feature experts like Dr. Sivakumar Kanthaswamy from L&T Construction, Dr. R. Manikandan from Dalmia Cements, Dr. L. P. Singh, Prof. Pat Rajeev, and Prof. Narayanan Neithalath.

The event is organised in collaboration with esteemed institutions such as Arizona State University, IIT Madras, NIT Calicut, and NICMAR University, and is part of a series of international conferences to mark the centenary celebrations of the Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society.

The century-old Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society (ULCCS) is Asia’s largest labour co-operative and the second largest co-operative in the Industries and Utilities segment. As a Total Solution Provider (TSP) for infrastructure development and management projects, ULCCS has completed over 7500 projects in its illustrious history. While ULCCS has a strong foothold in the construction sector, having undertaken prestigious projects for Kerala government departments such as Finance, Co-operation, Local Self Government, Labour, Information Technology, Tourism, and Public Works Department (PWD), the organization has also diversified its

presence across multiple domains including Information Technology, IT & ITeS, Tourism & Craft, Material Testing, Education & Skilling, Agriculture, and Residential. This diverse expertise has allowed ULCCS to win international accolades and position itself as a leader in delivering comprehensive, multi-sectoral solutions for infrastructure development.