The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) marked a significant milestone in its sustainability journey with the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Kotak School of Sustainability (KSS) building.

The ceremony was officiated by Professor Manindra Agrawal, Director, IIT Kanpur, and attended by Professor Braj Bhushan, Deputy Director, IIT Kanpur, Professor Sachchida Nand Tripathi, Dean, Kotak School of Sustainability; senior officials from Kotak Mahindra Bank; Deans and several faculty members of the institute; senior administrators; and members of the KSS Advisory Council.

The KSS building is envisioned as a LEED Platinum-certified and Net Zero Energy facility that integrates sustainable design, energy-efficient systems, and eco-sensitive construction practices. The building will be constructed using innovative green materials such as bamboo, hempcrete, engineered wood, mycelium-based materials, and recycled components and will serve as a hub for sustainability research and action. The architecture respects and preserves the site's natural ecology by protecting existing silver oak trees, a waterbody, and the natural landscape contours.

Professor Manindra Agrawal, Director of IIT Kanpur, said, "The Kotak School of Sustainability stands at the confluence of science, policy, and societal purpose. Today we have laid the foundation stone for the building that will be a LEED Platinum, energy-efficient, green building and I am confident that this building of the school will accelerate our capacity to deliver high-impact translational research in sustainability."

Adding to this, Professor Sachchida Nand Tripathi, Dean of the Kotak School of Sustainability, stated, "This space will allow us to convene experts, students, and stakeholders under one roof, pushing the boundaries of what sustainability science and innovation can achieve for India and the world."

Mr. Rajeev Ratan, Senior Executive Vice President of Kotak Mahindra Bank, expressed, "Through this initiative, Kotak reaffirms its long-term commitment to sustainability. We are proud to support a space that will incubate solutions for climate resilience, energy transition, and equitable development."

The upcoming Kotak School of Sustainability building will span 18,450 square meters and include more than twenty-five state-of-the-art research laboratories, faculty offices, and dedicated spaces for PhD scholars, post-doctoral fellows, and staff members. The building will also house seminar and conference rooms, interactive zones, and eco-zones to promote interdisciplinary learning and collaboration. It will incorporate environmentally friendly insulation and HVAC systems and offer convenient access to mass transit, bicycle facilities, and electric vehicle parking. The design embodies the principles of green living and sustainable infrastructure, making it a model for future-ready academic spaces.

The Kotak School of Sustainability is set to become a national and international centre of excellence by attracting leading scholars and practitioners in sustainability from prestigious institutions such as MIT, Princeton, the University of Maryland, Cambridge, and Oxford. The School's research will focus on diverse and critical areas, including sustainable energy and resource use, environment, climate and ecology, sustainable infrastructure, sociology, policy and economics, sustainable practices, water science and engineering, technology integration, economics, policies and regulations, and artificial intelligence for sustainability.