- Awareness: A very large segment of Indian users is unaware of sustainable eco-friendly alternatives and their enduring benefits even today. Lack of knowledge about sustainable development thinks of it as an out of pocket or expensive choice.
- Cost: Sustainable components are expensive because manufacturers require more production costs. Therefore, the initial investment of choosing green alternatives will always be a lot. The equipment and materials needed to construct a green building are too expensive if compared to the regular ones. That is why many builders think twice before bearing these upfront costs and more often do not invest in them. The costs would vary depending on the project, whether it is a bungalow, a residential building or a commercial building. Although, the average difference in costs is almost 10% - 12%. The initial investment might be a little more, however, the cost is recovered in the long run. On average, you recover the cost in 3-4 years. For example, if you install solar panels worth Rs 20 lakhs, you will see a reduction in the monthly electricity bills and over a while, you will recover the 20-lakh investment
- Materials: Eco-friendly products are not sometimes readily available as compared to conventional products. You need to customise the needed products as per the requirement.
- Skillset: One of the biggest factors holding back Green Building Adoption in India is the lack of skilled experts and manpower. From policymakers to other industry players belonging to the different vertices do not possess proper knowledge as well as skills required to construct a green building.
- Limited Options: Some of the experts also believe that there are endless possibilities for sustainable development yet there are still less green alternatives in the market. They see limitations in colours, fixtures, fabrics, and more.
- Time: Going green usually takes time to redeem tax rebates, pay off the investment and also get the appropriate materials.
- Deficient Incentives: At this moment a very few incentive plans are available to motivate people to adopt sustainable development. Also, the ones which exist are not uniform as they vary across different states and cities, depending largely on the diverse governing bodies.