The IPCC report of 2021 makes clear that “global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades”. In the recent COP 26 there was growing acknowledgement that the 2°C target of the Paris agreement was no longer enough; that wide-sweeping measures for a 1.5°C target will be needed to stop irreversible damage. India enhanced its commitment to climate action at the COP 26 in Glasgow, announcing its 5-point climate target – “Panchamrit”, aiming to become “Net-zero by 2070”. Globally, buildings consume 40% of energy and are responsible for 1/3rd of emissions. In India, the construction sector was the largest sector with regard to material consumption in 2013, accounting for around 44% of all material demand. Buildings are also the second-largest consumer of electricity (33% in 2017). Considering that buildings are major consumers of electricity, cement and steel and each of them have a large share in GHG emissions, it goes without saying that construction and operation of buildings is a substantial contributor of GHG emissions in the country. India and the global south, where most of the new development will unfold, must go for a trajectory of low-carbon development across all sectors, and not repeat the mistakes of the developed world.