Chennai: Saint-Gobain India has strengthened its strategic partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) to establish two advanced research laboratories focused on sustainable construction materials and digital technologies for the built environment.The three-year collaboration is supported by a grant of Rs 3.8 crore and aims to develop practical solutions to help the construction industry transition towards smarter infrastructure and lower-carbon building materials.The partnership will facilitate the establishment of the Digital Real-Time Sensing Technologies for Infrastructure (DRSTI) Laboratory and the Concrete Admixture Research for Engineering Next-generation Construction (CAREN) Laboratory at IIT Madras’s Centre of Excellence on Technologies for Low-carbon and Lean Construction (TLC2).The laboratories will focus on addressing key challenges in the construction sector, including productivity, material efficiency, structural durability, sustainability and digital transformation.The initiative is also expected to enhance research capabilities in areas relevant to India’s infrastructure needs and accelerate the adoption of light and sustainable construction practices.IIT Madras director V Kamakoti said the laboratories would strengthen the institute’s ability to develop next-generation construction materials and intelligent infrastructure technologies. He added that the partnership would help translate advanced research into practical solutions for the construction industry and the country.Sreedhar N, CEO, Asia Pacific and India Region, Saint-Gobain, said, “By bringing together academic research and industrial expertise, we can turn scientific discoveries into practical construction solutions built for India’s hot and humid climate.”He said that this is a step forward in our commitment to accelerating the adoption of light and sustainable construction in India.
