In the issue of “The 10 Most Prominent Building Solution Provider Companies”, Insights Success have presented the protuberant companies who have accomplished an extraordinary place in the era of construction industry with their inimitable building solutions and services.

1. Mala Singh
Chairperson & MD
10MOST PROMINENT
BUILDING
T
H
E
COMPANIES
SOLUTION PROVIDER
Tech Talk
Intelligent Building
Technology Empowering
the Construction Industry
Expert’s Desk
Real Estate after
RERA – Collaborate,
Consolidate or Exit
Kirby Building Systems India
D Raju
Managing Director
BRAND OF THE YEAR

4. Editorial
hange is coming, like it or not, but we all have been hearing about
Cthe drastic climate change. The seasons are shifting, making a huge
impact on the environment. Sea level is rising and rivers are drying.
This scenario is not only present elsewhere but is also observed in India. The
glaciers feeding water of Ganga are melting faster than expected which
indicates that it would run dry in the next seventy years. On the other hand,
taking forestry under consideration, over 15 percent of Sunderban is
thoroughly submerged into the ocean and this situation can be seen with
every unique island over the globe. Equally, building industry generates
second largest amount of demolition waste and GHG (Green House Gases).
Buildings have major environmental impacts over their entire life cycle and
natural resources such as forests, water, and energy are heavily depleted for
the construction and operation of buildings.
These concerns have created a dire need for implementing Green Building
concept in the country. A recent survey showcases that if all buildings in the
urban areas could embrace Green Building concept, then India could save
more than 8700 MW of power which would be quite enough to light around
7 lacs houses countrywide. A green building drains very limited natural
resources during its construction and operation. Hence, implementing green
building design reduces the demand for non-renewable resources and
maximizes the efficiency of these natural resources when in use of renewable
resources.
Green building can improve the environment’s ecology in numerous ways as
it can reduce the energy consumption by over thirty percent, water usage by
fifty percent and can considerably lessen waste generation by recycling. This
implies that Green Building is all about reducing energy waste and water use.
It is all about creating new employment opportunities and blooming
economic growth along with protecting the health of current as well as future
generation.
‘Green Buildings’
- A Safe Haven
of Our Future
Ashwini S. Deshpande
Ashwini S. Deshpande

5. Editor-in-Chief Pooja M. Bansal
Database Management Prashant Chevale
Technology Consultant Swapnil Patil
Circulation Manager Vivek Bangade
Research Analyst David
Business Development Executives
Vaishnavi, Divya, Sarika
Contributor
SapanaArt Editor
Business Development Manager Akansha Garewal
Visualiser Shweta Shinde
Marketing Manager Dhruv Apte
Picture Editor Alex Noel
Art & Design Director Amol Kamble
Co-designer Asha Bange
Managing Editor Shweta Priyadarshani
Senior Editor Shraddha Deshpande
Rahul
Copyright © 2018 Insights Success, All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or
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Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success. Printed and Published by Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd.
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October, 2018
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Cover Price : RS. 150/-
Executive Editor Ashwini S. Deshpande

6. PEC Greening India
Empowering Green Buildings,
Smart Cities & Solar Energy
CoverStory
interview
Brandoftheyear
24
30
16
08

7. Articlesinterview
HouseOme
Designing
Astounding
Homes with a
Prudent Mix of
Art & Technology
Smarthome NX
Enriching the
Lives of Customers
with Smart Home
Solutions
Tech Talk
Intelligent Building
Technology
Empowering the
Construction Industry
Risk Analytics
The 5 Essentials for
Risk Management
in the Construction
Arena
Hochtief India
Offering
Best-in-Class
Building Solutions
through Digital
Processes
NUOS Home
Automation
Seamlessly Integrating
IoT Products and
Making Homes
beyond Smart
Preca Solutions
India
Rendering Precast
Turnkey Solutions
from Designing
to Delivery
CXO
Kirby Building
Systems
A Global Leader
in Manufacturing
Pre-Engineered
Steel Buildings
Expert’s Desk
Real Estate after
RERA:
Collaborate,
Consolidate or Exit
20
28
34
42
CXO
16 42 24 22 20
38 2830
34
Brandof
theyear

8. Eminent Building Solution Providers
Spearheading the Field of Construction
dvanced technologies such as IoT are playing major role in almost every segment with which one can share
Adata with each other and also with other information technology systems. Today, one area to watch closely
from sustainability perspective is technologies associated to buildings, i.e. both commercial and residential
which implies that the Internet of things (IoT) is vital for broader adoption of smart buildings. This will have big
repercussions on how companies handle energy management. Also, for the next three years, IoT will be more
widespread in smart commercial buildings than anywhere else.
To make the construction era more cutting-edge, leading building solution providers are working diligently to
implement and automate their systems with advanced technologies so that commercial buildings can respond better
to environmental or energy efficiency policies of organizations.
In the issue of “The 10 Most Prominent Building Solution Provider Companies”, we have presented the
protuberant companies who have accomplished an extraordinary place in the era of construction industry with their
inimitable building solutions and services.
This issue specially presents “PEC Greening India” in the cover story. PEC Greening India is is the foremost green-
building service providers in the country which is focused on providing green products like solar energy rooftop
systems and wastewater solutions.
We have also incorporated ‘Kirby Building Systems India Pvt. Ltd.’ as the ‘Brand of the Year’ in this issue. The
company is engaged in Design, Fabrication, Supply and, Construction of PEB or Steel Structures.
Besides, we have also listed; Hochtief (India) Pvt. Ltd; one of the largest construction industries in the world also
known as HT India is a 100% subsidiary of the well-known construction group Hochtief AG from Germany; NUOS
Home Automation which offers a wide range of IoT and automation products; and Preca Solutions India Pvt. Ltd.
the leading organization which is engaged in the business of design, detail, manufacture, supply, and erection of
Prestressed Precast Concrete building structures of all ranges. Among many others, we have also enlisted
organizations such as ConnectM, Innovela Building Solutions Pvt. Ltd., JMC Projects (India) Ltd, Microqual,
and Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment.
We have also encompassed CXO ‘Real Estate after RERA – Collaborate, Consolidate or Exit’ from the Expert’s
Desk of Shobhit Agarwal, MD & CEO at ANAROCK Capital.
Apart from this, we have included ‘Interview with Insights Success’ with HouseOme, which is the leading interior
designing company that delivers a wide range of home designing solutions, and Smarthome NX, the protuberant
organization which is developing efficient technology solutions that enables its customers to live smarter.
To make the issue even more intriguing, we have added ‘Intelligent Building Technology Empowering the
Construction Industry’ and‘The5Essentialsfor RiskManagementintheConstructionArena’ scriptedbyour
in-houseeditorsinthedelightfulpagesof thismagazine.
So, flip through the pages of our magazine and treat yourself by the novelties in the construction industry!
uildingSolution ProviderCompanies
10Prominent
M
O
S
T

10. Cover Story
We are the certified and a premier consultant
for IGBC and holds the best credentials to
provide Green Building certifications under
GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat
Assessment) and the globally recognized
standards like LEED (Leadership in Energy &
Environmental Design)
“ “
uildingSolution ProviderCompanies
10Prominent
M
O
S
T

11. Mala Singh
Chairperson & MD

12. Endorsed with the ‘Best Smart Green Business
Award 2018’ by ET Now, PEC Greening India is
one of the nation’s most prominent Green building
consultancy company and a total sustainability solution
provider. The company was established with a perceptive
vision that facilitates the developers to build
resource-efficient and sustainable building structures. It also
holds a resolute aim to transform existing buildings and
large developments into green and sustainable communities
to achieve the goal of ‘Responsible and Smart
Development’ across the country.
PEC Greening has an array of the topmost clients such as
Raheja Universal, K Rajeha, Rustomjee, Omkar Builders,
Larsen and Turbo (L&T), Hiranandani, ICICI Bank, GIFT
city, NTPC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), State
Bank of India (SBI), and many more. With its vast
experience in the industry, PEC Greening India has been
recognized multiple times for its proven credentials in
Green Building Consultancy and monumental contribution
in converting building and industrial developments into
Green.
The Luminary of PEC
Born and raised in Himachal Pradesh, Mala Singh is the
influential Chairperson and MD at PEC Greening India.
She is India’s leading Green Entrepreneur who is an
Environmental Scientist (M.Sc., MPhil) from IIT Roorkee
as well as an Environment & Sustainability Strategy Expert
for Green Building Projects & Smart City initiatives. She
keenly believes that Smart City Mission is not feasible
without foreseeing the existing buildings and cities to be
resource efficient and is consequently playing her
leadership role as an Author and Co-Chairman of IGBC
(Indian Green Building Council), Green Residential
Societies (GRS) Rating System and an Advisory Board
Member – (HPMF) Hospitality Purchasers Managers’
Forum of India.
Ms Mala Singh is currently associated with the ‘City &
Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO)’ and ‘Thane
Municipal Corporation (TMC)’ as the Member of
Environmental Cell to appraise building proposals for
sustainability aspects. She is also an Executive committee
member of the Indian Green Building Council and a Core
committee member for various Green Rating Systems in
India. Under her splendid leadership skills, PEC Greening
India is transforming more than 2000 million square feet of
construction footprints and the existing developments into
‘Green’ across the country.
Awards and Accolades
Ms Mala Singh has been awarded the ‘Best Smart -Green
Business Award 2018’ by ET Now. She is also recognized
by the ‘Top 50 Green leaders in 2017’ by World CSR
Congress and the ‘Best Woman Entrepreneur of the year
2016’ awards. She is not only an accredited Green Building
Professional but has also been bestowed with the title of
‘IGBC Fellow’ for her outstanding contribution to the
Green building movement in India in 2016.
A Cluster of Unique Building Solutions and Services
PEC Greening renders resourceful solutions for each
“Integrating
sustainability in our
lives is not just a
beneficial strategy,
buta moral obligation
towards the
generations to come

13. project along with a better understanding of the uniqueness
of its geographical location, functionality, and climate, etc.
The company is a certified, premier consultant for IGBC
and holds the best credentials to provide Green Building
certifications under GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated
Habitat Assessment) and the globally recognized standards
like LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental
Design), which promotes green movement at large scale. It
also deals in Green Building Design Consultancy, Climate
Responsive Architectural Analysis, Smart City Advocacy,
Sustainability advisory for Large Townships & Industrial
Parks as well as IT Parks. PEC Greening India is a certified
partner for Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
(MNRE) and also India Credit Rating Agency (ICRA)
certified company.
PEC Greening India also deals with energy-concerned
domains such as Energy Modeling & Building Simulation
Studies to achieve high performance in buildings and
building commissioning services for achieving the energy
efficiency. It also has prowess in Energy Audits, Water
Audits, Waste Audits, IAQ Audits, Sustainability Reporting,
Advisory for Green Products & Technologies, and
Consultancy for Environmental Regulations.
Laying the ‘Green’ Foundations by Confronting Tough
Challenges
It has not been an easy task for PEC Greening to break the
myth - ‘Green Buildings are very expensive and claims an
additional 10-15% cost’. This notion threw a negative
impact on constructing the green buildings and was
considered as a major hiccup in the path towards
sustainable building technology. For them, convincing the
client/developer that Green buildings were actually the
better choice was a major challenge.
The present environmental regulations are an integral part
of the project design and green products are easily available
in the market at a low-cost, nowadays. The green building
incentives provided by the Government in most states of the
country presently are definitely giving the boost to promote
green buildings, even to the builders with a conventional
approach mindset. A few prominent builders undertake the
green initiatives as a part of their social responsibility
towards the environment. Being a green building
consultant, PEC Greening strived hard to allay all the client
fears by proving the cost efficiency of green buildings. The
cost of adopting the Green building principles in the
residential sector is negligible. “Even though the capital
cost of efficient technology is higher in commercial
buildings, we now have analytical proof that operational
cost ensures payback within a couple of years and savings
for the rest of the building’s lifetime”, asserts Ms Mala
Singh while explaining the challenges.
PEC’s Distinctive Strategies Beating the Diverse
Building Disciplines
Besides the standards that are currently in place with the
diverse building disciplines such as fire-safety, security,
building automation, lighting, and so on, there are separate
directives to govern the sustainability of any project. Today,
the perception towards the environmental sustainability has
drastically changed; which was considered as least
important initially. Also, nowadays, people are becoming
“The increasing demand
for the Green products
by the customers
has boosted the
market in an effective
way, which has created
green job opportunities
in the long run

14. more aware of the climate change due to environmental
degradation and are driven towards green construction.
PEC Greening India offers a universal as well as an
integrated design approach from scratch to provide Green
building services to the customers, and leading to the ample
amounts of energy and water savings to achieve
sustainability. “We provide continuous support to our
customers from project planning stage through passive
design approach, vetting of green construction materials &
technologies through ROI approach enabling them to
comply green construction management practices to
conserve natural resources”, says Ms Singh. This approach
observes the sustainability parameters throughout the entire
development of the project to achieve the target of green
building certification with set credentials.
The company also implements capacity building programs
and green education for all stakeholders associated with the
project, validation process of green standards, and regular
green audits to attain the objective along with the successful
delivery of certification program and customer feedback. It
works consistently to make better inventions each day and
to provide the best services that could be offered in the
green consultancy. Its expert team of professionals,
consisting of sustainability architects, engineers, energy
managers, and auditors who always think beyond
certification and give their consistent efforts to provide the
best services that could be offered in green building
consultancy.
Words of Inspiration for the New Entrepreneurs
PEC’s success mantra lies in imbibing green compliances
along with recognizing the feasibility of innovative
technologies that would guarantee optimum savings and an
enhanced quality of life. “Absolute integrity towards our
work and belief in our potential to change the future would
be the key drivers in the path towards impending
development. Integrating sustainability in our lives is not
just a beneficial strategy, but a moral obligation towards
the generations to come. Green professional services must
be your passion and not just a profession”, asserts Ms Mala
Singh on advising the young entrepreneurs.
Expanding the Horizon with its Innovative Services
PEC Greening India is the foremost green-building service
providers in the country which is also focused on providing
green products like solar energy rooftop systems and
eco-friendly wastewater solutions. The company is an
authorized MNRE channel partner for the solar energy
services and have partnered with the International company
BioCleaner to bring the alternative technology for
providing effective wastewater solutions in India. This
technology has been proved as the first eco-friendly STP
technology in the world having a green patent by EPA.
Currently, the company is setting up pilot models in its
on-going smart city projects in Maharashtra.
“We, at PEC Greening India, intend to continue our
upward transition in the field by persistent efforts at
delivering the most viable solutions to all developers, new
and established”, says Ms. Singh while articulating the
future plans of the company.
“We think beyond
certification
and strive
to make any
building
exemplary

15. Greenprofessional
services
must be your
passion
and not just a
profession
“
“

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17. Management BriefCompany Name
ConnectM
connectm.com
Sriram Chidambaram
CEO
ConnectM build solutions with a far-reaching, positive impact
and deals with facilities managers, HVAC equipment
manufacturers, IAQ sensor manufacturers, HVAC service
companies to take advantage of advanced technologies.
HOCHTIEF India
Private Limited (HTI)
hochtief-india.com
Gopan Pillai
Managing Director
Hochtief India is one of the leading Engineering Solution providers
in the construction industry.
Innovela Building
Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
innovela.in
Saurabh P
Director
JMC Projects
(India) Ltd
jmcprojects.com
Sh. S K Tripathi Dy.
MD & CEO
JMC has proven its capability for executing all types of projects
involving comprehensive construction services that include
design, procurement, supply, installation, testing and
commissioning etc.
Microqual
microqual.com
Mahesh Choudhary
Owner
Microqual Techno Ltd. has been a pioneer and market leader, in
manufacturing and supply of products, services and solutions
impacting the global communications world.
PEC Greening India
pecgreeningindia.com
Mala Singh
Chairperson & MD
NUOS Home Automation offers a wide range of IoT and
automation products.
Preca Solutions
India Pvt Ltd
preca.in
Satish Gottipati
Managing Director
Universal Construction
Machinery & Equipment
uceindia.com
Ranjit More
Managing Director
UCME’s is the pioneer in the field of construction equipment
and manufacturing whose products range from concreting
solutions, lifting solutions to mechanization solutions.
Innovela Building Solutions is a consulting engineering group
operating in the niche segmant of Precast Concrete Technology.
Preca Solutions delivers prestressed precast turnkey solutions right
from design to delivery of projects.
Kirby
kirbyinternational.com
D Raju
Managing Director
Kirby India is the prominent organization which is into Design,
Fabrication, Supply and, Construction of PEB or Steel
Structures.
NUOS Home Automation
nuos.in
Neil Sawant
CEO & Founder
PEC Greening India is the foremost green-building service
providers in the country which is focused on providing green
products like solar energy rooftop systems and wastewater
solutions.
uilding
10Prominent
M
O
S
T
Solution Provider Companies

18. KIRBY BUILDING SYSTEMS
Apioneer organization which was the first one to
introduce the concept of Pre-Engineered Steel
Buildings (PEB) in India is Kirby Building
Systems India Pvt. Ltd. The company was incepted in 1999
and has been the market leader in the Indian PEB industry
for more than eighteen years. Kirby India is specialized in
accomplishing many large and complex projects across
diverse applications such as factories, warehouses, cold
storages, showrooms, workshops, offices, supermarkets,
shopping malls, and high rise
buildings - commercial & residential. The company is also
specialized in the applications of shipyards, metro stations,
aircraft hangars, sports stadiums, auditorium, power plants,
steel plants, heavy industrial structures, etc. spread across
different industry segments & sub-segments.
Kirby Building Systems (Kirby India) is a part of the
multinational billion-dollar business
conglomerate - Alghanim Industries based in Kuwait. The
company is one of the world’s largest producers of quality
steel buildings with five state-of-the-art facilities located in
Kuwait, Ras-al-Khaimah (UAE), Vietnam and Hyderabad
& Haridwar (India).
The company has a wide range of renowned as well as
diverse clientele such as ABB India, Phoenix Group, Kansai
Nerolac, Berger Paints, Cipla Ltd, BASF, Oppo India,
Nokia, Kia Motors, Skoda, Tata Group, Reliance Industries,
Bisleri, Bata India, Hindustan Unilever, Godrej & Boyce,
Colgate Palmolive, Indospace Logistics, UNICEF, Tube
Products, BMW, Renault-Nissan, Royal Enfield, JCB India,
Danfoss Industries, Meenakshi Energy, Trident Ltd, Cargill
India, Danieli India, Dr. Reddy’s, Aurobindo Pharma,
Mankind Pharma, Suzlon Group, Birla Tyres, Apollo Tyres,
MRF Ltd, JK Tyre, Bridgestone, Pipavav Shipyard, L&T,
Toshiba-JSW, Pepsico, Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble,
Dabur India, ITC Ltd, Delhi Metro, Bangalore Metro,
Hyderabad Metro, Essar Steel, JSW Steel, JSPL, Gati,
Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, Honda Motors, Asian
Paints, Hindusthan National Glass, Shimizu Corporation,
Soma Enterprise, Siemens Ltd, Sterlite Industries, Alstom
Bharat Forge, POSCO, Madhucon Projects, Ruchi Group,
BRG Group, Base Corporation, SEL Manufacturing, PRP
Exports, Kohler, NCC, ABB, Jain Irrigation, Ministry of
Defense, DRDO, MIDHANI, IMTMA, Flash Electronics,
Cheyyer SEZ, Amazon, Writer Business Services, Iron
Mountain, Future Supply Chain, Hindustan Coca-Cola, etc.
An Avid Leader
D Raju is the Managing Director at Kirby Building
Solutions India Pvt. Ltd. He is the key person of the
company who is a Civil Engineer as well as a Management
professional. He has a result-driven experience of over
three decades with various reputed MNC’s in India as well
as international markets. He holds a proven track record in
customer relations, project management, strategic
marketing, and new business development.
Delivering Economical and Safe Building Practices
PEB industry as a whole maintains world-class safety
standards as it involves working at very high heights
A GLOBAL LEADER IN MANUFACTURING PRE-ENGINEERED STEEL BUILDINGS
We are leading the path through
its new and innovative designs,
systems, processes, and
construction techniques thereby
making the industry well equipped
“ “
|October 2018|16

19. sometimes reaching over 30 meters. Kirby India
has implemented many innovative approaches
for safe practices across all its job sites. These
approaches are implemented through a
network of Certified Builders by training all
the manpower on safe erection practices
over these years of operations and
continues to do so to have zero accidents
at sites. This has enabled the company to
get ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001
certifications besides continuously
bagging 'British Safety Council’ award
for the last four years which is well
known for its stringent safety standards
and practices.
All the buildings completed by Kirby till
date are economical and efficient in nature
which has resulted in the company to attain the
sheer annual capacity of 200,000 MT along with
the two plants located at Hyderabad & Haridwar.
The company also possesses a large network of more
than twenty-three offices across India, 100+ certified
builders to cater to installation services and execution of
more than 18,000 different types of buildings spread over
30 million sq. m. of area for various industry segments.
This huge achievement of Kirby has increased the
popularity of PEB industry as a whole and has enabled the
industry to grow by creating an entry for many players
across India. This has also generated employment which
has elevated the visibility of these buildings thereby
reaching to different target respondents.
Unlocking Opportunities by Surpassing Every Challenge
Kirby India introduced this concept in the year 1999 and
faced many challenges during the initial phase. The major
challenge was the lack of acceptability of steel as a building
material as the Indian construction industry had not evolved
and most of the construction was done with regular brick
and mortar or other traditional construction. Also, steel
construction was completely new and most of them were
not aware of PEB construction technology. Moreover,
Indian economy was opening up to the international market
thereby leading to the entry of various MNCs which gave
preference to PEB for setting up their facility as this
concept was much more prevalent in the developed
countries.
“ “
Brand of the year
Kirby India takes various industrial
and urban infrastructure projects
across India to transform the
economic progress of the country
with a footprint on the global map
D Raju
Managing Director
|October 2018| 17

20. Kirby India took this as an opportunity despite many
hurdles and aggressively promoted the concept to
consultants, architects, contractors, etc. through seminars,
conferences, advertisements, etc. This led to an increase in
awareness about PEB industry. Since then, the industry has
overcome many challenges at each and every stage of its
project cycle until the final handover of the building to the
customer. Kirby India introduced this innovative concept by
challenging the conventional steel construction and
ventured into many new industry segments such as Metro
Rail, Shipyard, Power Plant, Steel Plant, Heavy Industrial
Structures, etc. where PEB was never heard of.
A Sight of PEB Segment and Kirby’s Remarkable
Contribution
India has world’s fastest growing economy and its rapidly
growing younger population is driving the domestic
consumption to evolve the ways of sustainable growth
including construction. PEB is one of the first choices when
it comes to sustainable and eco-friendly construction. These
buildings are also referred to as green buildings which have
caught the attention of many builders, developers, etc.
across India and are making inroads across all types of
construction.
Kirby is leading the path through its new and innovative
designs, systems & processes and construction techniques
thereby making the industry well equipped. This approach
overcomes the limitations to handle any complex project
across different industry segments which will reduce the
overall project completion time and generate faster return
on investment. Kirby India is at the forefront of this
innovation and is leading the revolution of green
construction in the country through its PEB technology
thereby contributing to the green building movement.
Kirby’s Imminent Projects
There are many projects that are under execution at
different stages of the project cycle such as design, drafting,
fabrication, construction, etc. One of these unique project is
currently under construction stage is for ABB India Ltd.
This project consists of different buildings at two project
locations for power transmission from one location to
another location being executed for Power Grid
Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL). Valve Hall Supporting
Structure is the main building which is being constructed at
a height of 25 m with 40 m clear span. It consists of very
heavy loadings in the form of valves which are directly
hanging from the rafters. Each valve is further having two
mono-rails which are resting on the rafter with each rafter
weighing approximately 25 MT and designed with very
stringent deflection criteria. This structure is a completely
dust free and air tight and is provided with 2-hour fire rated
wall panels.
Visualizing an Outstanding Future with Unceasing
Advancements
Kirby India has already ventured into construction of
residential and commercial buildings either completely in
steel or composite form which is slowly being accepted by
builders & developers as being witnessed in major cities
across India. The company has already executed many
high-rise buildings for commercial & residential segments
and is currently executing over G+20 floors commercial
office buildings and many more are in the pipeline. This
will definitely lead to increase in demand for steel
structures in coming years and Kirby India being a leader
will continue to achieve excellence and create new
benchmarks for the industry as a whole. Thus, a huge
opportunity awaits this industry especially in segments such
as high rises, power, steel, etc. besides regular industrial
infrastructure and this growth story is poised to continue in
coming years to the next level of growth trajectory.
The company also continues to promote the industry by
continuous knowledge sharing across seminars, conference,
industry forums, colleges, education curriculum, etc. to the
target audience and younger generation thereby increasing
the popularity of PEB to bring more advancement for the
industry.
Kirby provides 100%
leak-proof building
and Racking Systems
bundled with PEB
“ “
|October 2018|18

22. HOCHTIEF INDIA
Gopan Pillai
Managing Director
HOCHTIEF INDIA
Offering Best-in-Class Building Solutions
through Digital Processes
Being a part of one of the largest construction
industries in the world, Hochtief (India) Pvt. Ltd,
also known as HT India is a 100% subsidiary of the
well-known construction group Hochtief AG from
Germany. It is a part of the ACS Group and has big
conglomerates like TURNER construction Company from
US and CIMIC from Australia under its umbrella.
HT India was established in 1999 with a vivid purpose of
supporting the parent company in its activities by providing
engineering at an optimum cost. The main motto of
HT India is to provide all kinds of engineering solutions
from under one roof.
About the Compassionate and Dedicated Duo of
Hochtief
Gopan Pillai is the Managing Director at HT India and
heads the Indian office for its global operations He is an.
experienced Civil engineer who has pursued his
post-graduation in Structural Engineering. Besides this, he
is also a management professional. Gopan has been in the
construction industry for over three decades and has equal
exposure to domestic as well as international markets with
his involvement in designing, project management, and
operations of various prestigious projects. Gopan joined
Hochtief in 2010 as the CTO (Chief Technical Officer),
thereafter, taking the operations as the COO (Chief
Operating Officer) in 2012 and has been a Board Member
since 2014.
Nanda Kumar, the Managing Director (Former) who
had engaged in various roles during his tenure of thirty-six
years, served right from a Management Trainee to the
Commercial Manager and Director. He was instrumental in
establishing the Indian office and developing it into a
self-standing organization. Upon his retirement in 2016, he
continued to be the whole-time Director till March 2018
and opted complete retirement from active services.
Unique Services under One Roof
Under the Digital Engineering Solutions banner, HT India
provides the following services:
• Building Information Modeling (BIM): Here the
company engages in virtual construction with a
philosophy to construct digitally first by developing
engineering 3D model coordinating various disciplines,
visualize practical issues, identify clashes, resolve them
and finally come out with an optimum engineering
solution which can be constructed without hindrance.
This philosophy is further extended till completion of the
construction and to facility management stage thus
providing comfort of maintaining the facilities. Along
with this, other areas of support are provided for
animations, tender support, fly through videos etc.
• Detailed Engineering Services: Design development,
Detailed Structural Engineering, Demolition and
Temporary work solutions, Bar Bending Schedule,
Precast engineering etc.
• MEP Services: Designing, Modeling, CoBie
Enrichment, Detailing, Shop Drawing, Pre-bid &
Post-bid services etc.
|October 2018|20

23. field of involvement, practice regularly,
and use the tools after understanding
the pros and cons. Practice makes the
perfect professional.” HT India
believes that a project delivered within
a stipulated time with the desired
quality leads to multiple advantages
and generates a long-lasting impression
on the customer base.
The Sturdy Team
Over the last eighteen years, Hochtief
has grown to a well-grouped 213
engineers with rich exposure to the
international engineering practice. A
small team of over twenty engineers in
the beginning has grown into a robust
team of engineers from various fields
like Civil, Structural, Mechanical,
Electrical, Plumbing, Fire-fighting, etc.
They also have diversified areas of
involvement like engineering support,
design development, peer review,
construction-related supports,
pre-tender support, technical
coordination, and overall project
support.
HT India is spearheading with its
experienced professionals who are
practicing the latest available tools in
the market and remains constantly
updated with the advent in each field.
This way, the company meticulously
provides the latest technology solutions
to every space and transfers the benefit
to the end users efficiently.
Future Prospect
Hochtief is foreseeing a bright future
with high tech-advancements. The
company also believes that the
construction industry has moved a lot
from the Client-Contractor setup to an
advanced level which is process
oriented and accommodating multiple
stakeholders. It believes that various
developments, different products, latest
technology, green building solutions,
and cost-effective means of approach
will drive the market towards a
glorious future.
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• Project Management Services:
Conceptual Planning, Design,
Budgeting, Peer Review, Preparation
of drawings, Pre-bid & Post-bid
services, Tender stage support, Bid
support, technical support at site,
quality management, testing and
commissioning.
HT India operates on a digital platform
for all its services and apply new
technologies and provide end benefits
to the user / owner by optimizing the
cost, early completion and
commissioning and mitigating
common risks involved in the
construction sector.
Tackling Hurdles and Shining
among the Peers
“Making our mark itself was the
biggest challenge we had ”, asserts
Gopan. Even after being a part of a
legacy, Hochtief India found it difficult
to pitch in during the earlier days of its
operations in the Indian market. The
brand value of Hochtief has always
reflected in every aspect including
costing which was an untouched
concept in the local market those days.
HT India has always been serving its
customers with the best service
through high quality and timely
actions. The company also offers an
optimal solution and encourages
recurring business with the clients. The
business motto remains with priority
on quality and timely delivery above
budget. Over years it has become a
mantra to Do it Right First Time
(DRIFT).
Success Mantra that Ensures Client
Satisfaction
Asking Gopan about the secret
strategy, he proudly says, “HT India
does not look at the competitive part
but ensures that the Client or the
Ultimate user get the maximum benefit
within the best possible time and enjoy
the quality.” He also shares his piece of
advice to his budding entrepreneurs by
articulating, “The simple advice is to
understand the basics, whatever is the
“
“
Deliver a
quality
product
on time
and expect
a repeat
Client for a
consistent
business’
|October 2018| 21

24. Intelligent Building
Technology Empowering
Diversified adoption of smart technologies can mean only one thing for the Building Solution Provider
Industry – Transformation.
Builders and Developers across the globe are taking prominent strides to embrace smart building trends. Thanks to the
technology advancement, the construction industry is beginning to catch a glimpse of every next big thing. Today, the
industry players have been successful in connecting the dots of innovation and creativity, which led to the discovery of
Intelligent Building. A structure which is no longer a dream, an integration of communication and control systems
which offers a flexible, comfortable, effective, and secure environment for both the occupant as well the building
professional. This smart building technology is helping automate building operations and adding extra perks to the
lifestyle of an individual. In simple words, Intelligent Building is a network-enabled building management system
enhancing the building environment for the occupants, while controlling the costs. This in turn will surely empower the
end-user security, accessibility, and control.
The advent of intelligent building technologies are enabling construction world with cost-effective operations. It will
surely be a helping hand in passing-on a better earth for the next-gen. A few such intelligent technologies are discussed
st
below which are playing a pivotal role in transforming the world to dismantle the complexities of 21 century:
Automatic Control Systems
One of the key features which the intelligent building technologies comprise is – Building Automation Systems
(BAS) – comprehensive and automatic control of one or more important building system functions. It offers exclusive
facilities like air conditioning, ventilating, and heating systems. It effectively determines the status or condition of the
parameters like pressure, temperature, and relative humidity with its group of censors.
High-Speed Wiring
Intelligent building technologies empower the residents to have an enhanced control. This is promising due to the
high-speed wiring feature responsible for controlling the building data. Its network of data and voice communications
over the same wiring infrastructure, enables real-time communication, services, and integration at its best.
the Construction Industry
|October 2018|22

25. Earthquake Sensors
Intelligent building technologies grant easy earthquake
detection. It makes use of the sensors that can be connected
with national geological service, thereby securing the
earthquake prone regions. If an earthquake occurs, this
integrated system will notify the occupants automatically.
Augmented Fire Securities
Intelligent Buildings offer an enhanced security in an
emergency situation resulting from fire with the help of its
sensor technologies. These sensors will activate and open
the exhaust dampers in an event of a fire. This will fuel the
instructions given to the building occupants via the
intercom and IP paging, and doors will be unlocked by the
access control system, thus enabling fast evacuation.
Improved Security
The most competitive advantage which the intelligent
building technology offers is enhanced personal security. It
offers web-enabled security systems and wireless
surveillance avoiding the risks of unwanted intrusions in the
buildings.
Simplified Property Management
The smart building technology is a boost to the clients
making the process of property management easier. This
technology assists in connecting to control center which in
turn will save maintenance crews’ time and effort to
manually adjust a valve or take pressure readings. The
intelligent building includes a standardized building wiring
system which notifies the main control center in the case of
any maintenance emergency. Even adjustments can also me
made from the main control center in order to mitigate the
risks of human intervention.
Future with Intelligent Buildings
The next generation would witness building automation
systems that will continue to grow in usage and are
centralized. Embracing change is a way towards interlinked
networks of hardware and software that monitor and control
the environment in commercial, industrial, and institutional
facilities in a better way. Smart buildings would
prominently empower the construction space with expert
operational performance and efficiency. The future would
also observe an environment based on intelligent and
energy-efficient framework. This would transform the
human lifestyle into a cosmos of comfort and safety.
Tech Talk
|October 2018| 23

26. HouseOmeDesigning Astounding Homes with a Prudent Mix of Art & Technology
To build the finest interior and
to give homes a unique look,
HouseOme organization
comes with a plethora of splendid
interior designing options. The
company is well-known for its cutting-
edge home-designing styles and
immaculate customer service.
In an interview with Insights Success,
Pradeep Singhvi, the Founder and
CEO of HouseOme, gave his
insightful and thorough views which
highlights the unique, innovative, and
high quality interior designing
solutions the company offers to its
customers.
1. Answers to the following interview
questions.
• Tell us something about your
company?
Buying a property is everyone’s
dream and designing it to suit their
personality is ours. We help
customers to understand their
requirements and provide them end
to end solution, viz., designing to
planning to procurement to
execution. While deciding the name
for our company, our initial idea
was to have a single word that
would describe a ‘beautiful home’
and should also appeal to the
end-consumer. After coining
various names we zeroed down on
‘Houseome’, which means an
AWESOME HOME. All credit
Pradeep Singhvi
Founder & CEO
|October 2018|24

27. goes to my wife Garima Singhvi (Vice President, Bank of
America – Merrill Lynch) for suggesting this name.
Interior Designing space in India is most unorganized
sector which is worth USD 30 Bn (as per Technopak)
and online share is mere 5%.
Houseome started its journey in June 2016 in Mumbai
and got good traction. We have expanded to Ahmedabad
and Chandigarh in 2018 and looking for few other cities
by the end of 2018.
• What kind of ‘unique interior’ solutions, services or
products are offered by your company at par with the
current industry standards?
We have a virtual reality tool application where floor
plan of the customer’s place can be created and he can
visualize the final outcome before the work has even
begun. It helps customer to understand the ideas that are
shared and also saves their time. This is also important
from a point that initially customer is confused on
placement of furniture and other stuff, with our VR tool
he can immerse into layout and visualize possibilities.
Once customer is clear at ideation stage we prepare
complete working plan so that work can be done at
smooth pace. It help us in controlling time line as well.
• Tell us something about the Founder/CEO of your
company.
Pradeep Singhvi (age 39 years) is the Founder and
CEO of Houseome.com - an interior designing platform
that leverages technology to create dream home for
new-age buyers. Pradeep, originally from Jodhpur, is a
seasoned Finance professional turned Entrepreneur with
the aim to disrupt the current interior designing space in
the country.
Prior to commencing his entrepreneurial journey,
Pradeep was spearheading the business planning and
budgeting of the Trent Hypermarket Ltd. - Star
Bazaar - a TATA & Tesco Enterprise. He is a Chartered
Accountant and has worked as Finance-head for
financial and corporate companies including Times
Television Network, Capgemini and Raymond Apparel.
• What is the current scenario of ‘Interior Solutions’
segment according to you? How are you contributing
to making it better?
As per Technopak market size of Interior Designing
space is $30B and online share is mere 5%, which is
growing at CAGR of over 25%.
Interior Designing space is most unorganized space in
India, these are the segments under which it can be
classified further –
1. Conceptualization
2. Designing
3. Execution
4. Well Managed time lines
5. Best material sourcing
Getting one person providing all services along with
standard processes & technology with well managed
time lines is difficult. We ensure that customer needs to
have one point of contact that understand his
requirements and ensure that all work is done as per
agreed scope of work with best quality.
• What tool/technique does your company use to
deliver the safer, economical, and efficient Interior
solutions to the customers?
We have VR application using that customer can
visualize their dream home and it help us in
understanding their requirement as well. We use latest
material which are environmental friendly and safe. We
also do home automation to ensure that home designed
by us has lesser carbon footprint.
• What strategies/techniques do you follow to surpass
the various building disciplines such as fire-safety,
security, building automation, lighting, and more?
How are you shaping yourself to become
extraordinary in this sector?
We use latest material which are environment friendly
for designing our home. We also see that company is
ISO certified so that products have good shelf life and is
safe. We have collaborated with Coimbatore based
company for our home automation segment. They also
|October 2018| 25
Interview with Insights Success

28. provide products that sync with voice command and
provide better user experience.
• What were the major challenges you faced at the
initial phase and how did you overcome it? What
were the opportunities that came your way through
these challenges?
On a micro level, while designing our first Website we
shared complete plan/ prototype with one designer. The
outcome was not satisfactory and we had to shelve that
piece. We were looking for a platform that will be the
one stop shop for all kind of customized home designing
solution. Later, we met with Mr. Avnish Sharma of
Syscraft Information System and shared our idea. He
took the challenge and shared the first draft in next 2-3
weeks. Then it was easier for us to focus on other aspect
of business, like hiring right talent, marketing etc.
On a macro level, Interior Designing space is an
unorganized sector in India. Challenges like lack of
professionalism from contractors to carpenters who take
up the work but do not have requisite skill of designing
and eventually they end up giving product, which
consumers do not like.
At Houseome.com, the first step is to understand our
customer’s requirements. We ensure to give them a
realistic cost estimate of the work and timeline to
complete the project. Once the cost estimate is approved
we move onto the designing phase, providing the
complete design on a virtual platform. Once this is
approved we commence with the on-ground execution
of the design.
• Where is your company heading? How your
company is benefiting your clients in this competitive
world? What is your success mantra?
We have created our own cliental who believe in our
services and know that we do not stretch time lines. We
have many customers who have recommended us since
we have finished their work within agreed time lines
with best quality. For any customer there are 3 important
factors, viz, Designing Options or ideas, Times Lines
and Finishes basis which he decides whether he should
get work done by us or not.
We use these strength to our benefit while suggesting
time lines. We have regular contractors who works with
us for many years and know how to ensure that work is
finished in agreed time lines with best quality.
• Share with us your piece of advice to the young
entrepreneurs in the Interior Decoration Solutions
space.
Interior Designing market is huge and people look for
professionals who manage time lines and provide best
output. For young entrepreneurs who are joining this
space, it is advisable that they should use latest
technology to show case their talent and ensure that time
and quality is not compromised at any cost. If they are
able to master this mantra then getting good customer
will be easier.
• How do you see the future of ‘Interior Decorations’?
Tell us something about your upcoming
products/services/plans.
Home is the basic need of a man and everyone wants to
design it at its best, as per their budget. We believe in
customization in this space so that customer has infinite
options. We have tied up with few real estate agents and
developers so that customer get best services.
To have wider reach, we have opened our offices in
Ahmedabad and Chandigarh, these are franchise model
offices where customer gets the same experience and
services even setting thousands of miles away.
|October 2018|26

30. Neil Savant
CEO & Founder
NUOS HOME
AUTOMATION
NUOS HOME
AUTOMATION
Seamlessly Integrating IoT Products
and Making Homes beyond Smart
Aleading organization leaving its sturdy
benchmarks with its cutting-edge products and
solutions in the home automation space is NUOS
Home Automation. NUOS is a brand with a passion to
create IoT products offering solutions that are beyond
smart. Its holistic home and office automation solutions
those are thoughtful and intuitive. NUOS renders high tech
as well as affordable products which are manufactured in
India right from the initiation to the production. Its core
focus has always been on making cutting-edge products that
are within the reach of everyone.
The company has its presence in seven cities all over India
along with two international cities and have close to 700+
customers.
About the Head Honcho of NUOS
The magnificent CEO and Founder, Neil Savant heads
the NUOS Home Automation. He has completed his
Masters in Engineering (Electrical) from the Ohio State
University and has worked for four years in the U.S.A. He
left his lucrative corporate job to give a kick-start to his
idea of taking automation to the masses in India.
He possesses diverse skills that include sound people
management skills, power electronics, embedded systems
and embedded firmware expertise. Neil has also been
accredited by the VP of Engineering at Cummins Inc. for
his best performance.
Astounding Services of NUOS
NUOS Home Automation designs and manufactures
unique and distinctive products for the home and office
automation. The company’s products are modular,
miniature, perfect retrofit and help in beautifying the
interiors of homes. Its products are completely international
grade having CE class A compliance with the extreme
understanding of power electronics and embedded systems.
These products can be operated from anywhere in the world
through the Android and iOS apps.
The company has perfect retrofit products which are
completely wire-free. NUOS’s switches replace the normal
ones and work on the same wiring as the normal switches.
The company has overcome a major issue regarding the
ease of adoption. Without any rewiring or civil-work, using
a local electrician the space gets automated in less than 20
minutes per switchboard. Its entire switch products are
compatible with all the switch brands in the market.
“Hardware skills being rare and missing all over the world
is our biggest entry barrier”, says Neil.
Unique Techniques to Achieve Extraordinary Outcomes
NUOS follows single yet ultimate technique of
understanding the customer’s needs accurately and then
striving hard to surpass their expectations. The company
has kept cognizance of the Indian customer psyche and has
done a thorough base lining of various successful and failed
|October 2018|28

31. any extra service once it is installed.
Also, its products are CE Class A
compliant which makes them adhere to
the international standards of
robustness as well as safety.
A Piece of Advice for the Young
Entrepreneurs
Neil believes that a great team needs a
great culture to stick around and
perform to the potential. A healthy
team culture can take the product
ahead to the world. While advising the
budding entrepreneurs, Neil expresses,
“PATIENCE is the key element! One
may have any degree but without
patience this could be juggling with hot
pieces of coals. Second - there is the
TEAM. Without a great team, a great
idea can only impress people sitting
inside a room for your pitches.”
Future Prospect
NUOS believes that as the time
progresses, there would be a lot of
dependence on automation to take care
of the mundane daily activities. This
will increase the demand of smart
products and related services making
building solutions providers critical for
planning a smart and green building.
This is how, the industry will see an
upward trend in coming time and is
expected to drive consolidation and
more structured approach.
With its incessant progressions in the
Home Automation space, NUOS has
recently launched its new line of
commercial automation products that
cater best to the offices and hospitality
requirements. The company is on its
way to closing few B2B customers in
the new segment which is quite
reassuring that its products have been
designed keeping in mind a large set of
use cases.
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brands as well as products before it
could move towards designing the
product.
Also, its smart modular switch has
helped to create products at a very high
speed. “Today, we possess more than
18 products within a span of two years
where many companies have taken
decades to reach here. This has been
our biggest differentiator and game
changer that has made us truly
extraordinary”, states Neil proudly.
Each of its products withstands
through rigorous 5-level testing by its
in-house experts before they are
packed and shipped to the channel
partners.
Profiting the Clients with its
Advanced and Cost-Effective
Products
NUOS create products that are high on
technology and appearance at
affordable pricing. The company
constantly focused on making robust
products with good aesthetics at the
same time since its inception.
“The ease of installation is the cherry
on the icing. Our customers believe on
the fact that a product with
international-level features comes at
an affordable pricing without rewiring
and civil work hassle. They can use the
products manually like their traditional
system and at the same time use our
app to control the system from
anywhere in the world ”, asserts Neil.
The average installation time requires
three hours for a three-bhk and setup or
commissioning takes another 20 mins
and one could instantly start
controlling one’s home within a few
seconds from any corner of the world.
NUOS has a strong faith in interpreting
impeccable customer service which
means the products should not need
“
“
We believe
in serving
impeccable
customer
service and
delivering CE
Class A
Compliant
products
|October 2018| 29

32. Dhaval Doshi
Founder
|October 2018|30

33. Today, Smart home automation has a huge demand as
the construction industry is constantly transforming.
It allows you to step into high-tech functionality
and luxury that was out of reach in the past. As the
technology development continues to enlarge, so will the
possibilities for consumer home automation to make life
easier and convenient. Smarthome NX is one such leading
organization which renders unique and cost-effective smart
home automation solutions.
In an Interview with Insights Success, Dhaval Doshi, the
Founder at Smarthome NX, shared the unique solutions
the company offers to its customers. He has also shared his
views and success mantra in making the company one of
the leading organizations in the building solutions space.
1. Tell us something about your company?
Smarthome NX is a discovery platform for Smart
home solutions. We deal in home automation,
sustainable living and connected solutions that can help
consumers live better by saving effort, saving money
and saving energy.
Adopting a Smart home solution is a challenging task.
Consumers need to know what technologies are
available out there and also evaluate several brands.
We make this process easy utilizing the 3 Cs:
Community, Content and Commerce.
Content:
We write about interesting solutions from the
perspective of a user’s lifestyle. Therefore, our aim is
to educate and evangelise the idea of living ‘Smart’
with technology. There is too much happening in the
home design space as far as interiors are concerned but
little being done to educate them about technology
solutions when they are designing their home. We are
doing exactly that for new homeowners and buyers so
they can set aside a budget to build a smarter home and
not just a prettier one.
Community:
We have tied up with over 200 service providers across
India who help consumers with consulting,
customization and installation of Smart solutions. We
also collaborate with manufacturers to help them find
new system integrators and we help system integrators
in turn find new business.
Commerce:
This has been long due but we are on the verge of
starting our ecommerce store as well for DIY smart
products which consumers can buy and use right out of
the box. These are plug and play devices like cameras,
smart speakers and so on. Our aim is to be a unique
destination for all ‘smart’ devices for homeowners.
2. What kind of ‘unique building’ solutions, services
or products are offered by your company at par
with the current industry standards?
We provide a diverse range of solutions: the age-old
and classic wired solutions that provide infinite
possibilities for a stable Smart home, wireless retrofit
solutions that work for old and newer homes and are
more affordable, hubless smart home solutions that are
easy to use and can be shifted easily as well; we also
deal in Smart locks, curtain automation, custom audio-
video solutions.
3. Tell us something about the Founder/CEO of your
company.
Dhaval Doshi, the Founder of the company is a serial
entrepreneur with 11 years of experience in marketing,
brand communication and e-commerce. In his career,
he has led digital initiatives for brands such as Amazon
, Bajaj , Axis Bank to name a few.
The inspiration to start Smarthome NX came when he
was fed up as a consumer to find the right information
and products to automate his home.
4. What is the current scenario of ‘Building Solutions’
segment according to you? How are you
contributing to making it better?
There is a huge impetus on technologies when it comes
to making buildings better, greener and efficient.
Rightly so, because of several reasons such as cost
ENRICHING THE LIVES OF CUSTOMERS WITH SMART HOME SOLUTIONS
SMARTHOME NX
Interview with Insights Success
|October 2018| 31

34. operational efficiencies and more. A lot of this is a
combination of evolved MEP methodologies, BIM systems
and sustainable materials. However, these are the macro
aspects of the building which may or may not impact the
end user of that building.
We are contributing to making the life better for the
end user. Be it a guest at a hotel or a resident in his
home or even an office-goer, smart technologies impact
them in the things they do on a day-to-day basis.
To give you some simple use-cases: occupancy sensors
can save electricity not requiring the resident to ‘switch
off' the lights when he is not in the room. Smart
speakers are making a wave in the US and are now
being adopted in India because of the ample
convenience that they offer with the most easy to use
interface i.e. your voice! We can provide solutions that
can help consumers to just say ‘alexa, turn off the
bedroom lights’ or ‘alexa, turn on the fan’/
5. What tool/technique does your company use to
deliver the safer, economical, and efficient building
solutions to the customers?
We are a digital first company. We follow a discovery
journey of a consumer as follows: 1) a consumer
typically learns about a new technology, 2) he wants to
know more about it 3) he then speaks to experts and
tests a demo 4) he then adopts the technology.
Therefore, at each stage of this journey, we help
through a one-on-one consultation with the consumer.
6. What strategies/techniques do you follow to surpass
the various building disciplines such as fire-safety,
security, building automation, lighting, and more?
How are you shaping yourself to become
extraordinary in this sector?
Currently, we are focussed on smart connected
technologies that enable automation of lights, fans and
all the appliances in the home. Typically, one can also
set scenes (basically a combination of settings) that one
may want to put on at the tap of a button. This would
mean that a user can have a setting for when he or she
just returns home from work and then another mode
which has a specific temperature setting with the lights
switched off during sleeping hours.
In addition, we are now also planning to enter the solar
integrators space. Therefore, we are now entering other
areas of “smarter” living which is a very underserved
market.
7. What were the major challenges you faced at the
initial phase and how did you overcome it? What
were the opportunities that came your way through
these challenges?
One of the major challenges for us was to understand
how to approach the problem. It is a highly
unorganized sector (surprisingly one may think
technology would be a more structured industry);
however, the industry is extremely fragmented and
scattered. For us, it was a challenge to get all of them
together on one platform. As an entrepreneur, generally
you are just working on hunches and market data. At
the end of the day, you will not know what works until
you try it. Therefore, our first experiment was to
provide value to customers and we started doing that
i.e. writing content that spreads awareness to
consumers. This eventually led to customers asking us
about these solutions. At the backend therefore we
started building our network of solution providers to
service these needs. So, to put it simply, we kept our
ear to the ground and did what the market wanted us to
do. Of course, this required us to also build a business
model around it.
8. Where is your company heading? How your
company is benefiting your clients in
thiscompetitive world? What is your success
mantra?
We are entering an evolved space of home design and
technology. Therefore, our company will not be just
focussed on smart connected solutions anymore. Our
grand vision is to become a go-to platform for
customers to build a more functional and efficient
home with solutions ranging from green building
materials and contemporary windows etc.
9. Share with us your piece of advice to the young
entrepreneurs in the Building Solutions space.
I think there is a tremendous amount of innovation
happening across the world; we should take inspiration
and try to see how we can make solutions that are more
accustomed to the Indian home. Most of all, I would
encourage entrepreneurs to think about how to solve
the problems of an Indian homeowner. At the center
should be the homeowner and his day-to-day issues
and entrepreneurs should be building solutions around
it.
10. How do you see the future of ‘Building Solutions
Providers’? Tell us something about your upcoming
products/services/plans.
I think this has already been answered in an earlier
question.
|October 2018|32

36. Satish Gottipati
Managing Director
PRECA SOLUTIONS
INDIA
PRECA SOLUTIONS
INDIA
Rendering Precast Turnkey Solutions
from Designing to Delivery
Incepted in 2012, Preca Solutions India Pvt. Ltd. is
the leading organization which is engaged in the
business of design, detail, manufacture, supply, and
erection of Prestressed Precast Concrete building structures
of all ranges. The company provides turnkey solutions for
executing various challenging structures using advanced
and proven engineering technologies.
Today, Preca Solutions is firmly established as a specialist
in Precast Technology and making strides towards
expanding its reach. The company takes pride in its
achievement and also believes that it has made a difference
in the development of various segments such as
commercial, retail, residential, hospitality, industrial, and
warehousing.
Preca Solutions is run by professionals with extensive
technical experience in Precast industry from various
countries like Israel, Malaysia, Dubai, and other Gulf
regions. The company has its plant & machinery and
infrastructure in one of the southern & eastern state capitals
which are outfitted with state-of-the-art European
technology.
The Helm of Preca Solutions
Satish Gottipati is the Managing Director at Preca
Solutions India Pvt. Ltd. Satish is a qualified Chartered
Accountant and Cost Accountancy and has more than
fifteen years of business experience in the field of
manufacturing, infrastructure, and real estate sectors. He
has also served many organizations in every segment along
with the Indian outfits of foreign companies. He holds
successful business association with the reputed
international business groups in implementing various
projects.
During his overseas visits, Satish witnessed the immense
advantage of employing precast concrete for faster and
stronger infrastructure. Being a futurist, he predicted the
tremendous potential of employing such an advanced
technology in a developing country like India. He, then,
collaborated with Israeli and African business associates to
found Preca Solutions and developed the pioneering
leadership by introducing precast pre-stressed concrete
construction technology in India.
The Initial Challenges and Preca’s Approach to Crack
them
The major challenge faced by the company was the
acceptance of advanced technology in the country’s
scenario. Preca’s first project was to finish half of a building
in tandem with a conventional contractor. The company was
accredited the construction of the rest of the project due to
its fine performance within the stipulated time. Also, the
same company gave them their second project after
witnessing Preca’s achievements. The company’s
professionalism and high capabilities soon paved way for
their several future prospects.
Rigorous planning, another challenge the company faces on
a daily basis, is intrinsic to Precast technology and is
essential for providing smooth operations. Preca has
qualified and experienced members including foreign
technicians and foreign returned Indian experts who deliver
|October 2018|34

37. and to produce quality products
through their hard work, dedication,
and pride. Its services team takes pride
in their relationships with the
subcontractors as well as other project
partners. The team works hard to foster
cooperation and mutual respect on all
its project sites. The company’s
philosophy emphasizes on the
continuous development by ensuring
that its team has the appropriate mix of
qualifications, skills, and experience.
“Our complete faith in the capabilities
of our team, even though modest in
numbers, enables us to handle several
demanding jobs concurrently.
Currently, we are over 600 people
strong with professionals working at
various levels of expertise across a
variety of profiles”, asserts Satish.
Envisaging the Future Full of
Opportunities
Preca Solutions is completely focused
on broadcasting the internationally
applauded technology of Precast
Pre-stressed concrete system in the
construction market of the country.
This will contribute towards the
increase in the efficiency of
infrastructure and real-estate industry
along with the safer construction
practices, higher quality, and lower
consumption of resources. The
company aims to strictly follow its
values of integrity, consistency, and
reliability to become the eminent
leading organization in the industry.
“Following the unmitigated success of
our pilot plant in Hyderabad, our
ambition is to take forward our vision
by expanding our reach to cater to a
larger region by setting up production
facilities at key locales. We are
immensely proud of our progress in
this direction as we have already
set-up a facility in Bhubaneshwar and
are making strides towards the set-up
of another near the new capital region
of Andhra Pradesh”, says Satish while
sharing his plans for future expansions.
uilding
10Prominent
M
O
S
T
Solution Provider Companies
high performance and consistent
contribution to the organizational
growth and development. However, in
the last few years in a positive trend,
the acceptance of the technology is
exponentially increased. Now, Preca
Solutions has the unique niche in the
industry as pioneer and possesses the
most extensive experience in the
sector.
Precast Technology: The
Cornerstone of Preca Solutions
Precast Technology in its inheritance
has the distinct advantage over regular
construction practices as it vastly
reduces the wastage of construction
materials, has a stricter control over
quality and uses a fraction of the
workforce. All these measures increase
the efficiency of the work which means
there is a lower consumption of energy
towards producing a product of
superior quality. Prestressed Precast
solutions are tailor made to meet the
requirements of the customer.
For instance, the industrial sector has
high demands for the better quality and
requires excessive elements at large
scales which would meet the rigorous
tasks of industrial production. For this
purpose, Pre-stressed Precast Concrete
is the best construction solution, as it
can be designed to take vigorous load.
Additionally, industrial warehouses can
be built using turnkey precast
construction or by the integration of
precast products as walls and slabs
with a steel frame for a lighter
building. Prestressed Precast
construction offers swift solutions to
achieve large scale constructions with
high standards of safety.
Success Strategies of Team that
Made a Difference
In addition to in-house expertise,
PRECA has a vast network of highly
qualified subcontractors who work
closely with the project team to
consistently hit scheduled milestones
“
“
We, at Preca,
rmly believe
that the
success of an
organization
depends on the
prociency,
diligence and
dedication of
the team
|October 2018| 35

40. The
ArenaArena
Essentials for Risk
Management in the
Construction
|October 2018|38

41. Risk management is one of the
most important duties of
project managers in the
construction space. A little negligence
over risk management results into
plenty of problems. Effective risk
management requires the application of
a systematic methodology, and more
importantly, it the indulgence of
knowledge and experience. The core
purpose of risk management in
construction projects is to provide a
safe work environment for the workers
which lead to the better
accomplishment of goals.
For years, eroding risk management in
construction projects has led to
unwanted results and poor quality. Let
us consider, if the management
inefficiency and incorrect analysis of
cost and time factors occur then it may
lead to delay in the project and may
impose further costs. Also, recent
studies disclose the lack of systematic
risk management methods in most of
construction projects which lead to
negative consequences in
implementing the given task. Hence,
these issues in the construction space
can be resolved by considering the
following factors each time with sheer
attention. These elements are cost,
time, quality, environmental, and
security.
Cost Element
Today, managing the construction is
confronted with unforeseen situations
in programming and construction of
private and public accommodations.
Few causes of delay and gradual pace
in projects occurs due to improper
understanding of the project's size,
inappropriate estimation of obligatory
resources, fragile cost calculations and
budget assessment as well as weakness
in project’s cost management. Hence,
it is obvious that keeping a flow with
the times and employing modern
|October 2018| 39
Risk Analytics

42. science and techniques ensure better
management of project costs.
Budget planning is one the most
important task of project programmers.
Also, providing the required credit for
the development of project objectives
is one of the difficult tasks of the
project managers’, especially in
large-scale projects. Additionally,
providing credits, organizing
arrangement of activities, and
determining their fundamentals play a
weighty role in the effective
application of the project about the
financial credits schedules.
Time Element
One more factor that plays a key role
in accomplishing goals of construction
projects, is, the time element. Time
management is the main principle of
construction projects execution; and if
neglected, the project falls into
degradation and further costs is
imposed on the project. The major
issue in handling large-scale projects is
the delay in completing its various
phases which creates a delay in
completion of the project. If a project’s
operation is delayed, national resources
would be wasted and sometimes, the
project may lose its technical and
economical acceptability.
Quality Element
After the time factor, the most
important principle in construction
projects is Since low qualityQuality.
execution of construction projects
causes the investments to go to waste,
on the other hand, increase in quality
leads to project durability, prevents
investment, and financial waste. Also,
apt management of project safety
prevents probable damages.
However, the chief concern is to
provide a high-quality product and
service that satisfies the client’s
expectations. For this, the total expense
of achieving this purpose must also be
considered wisely and these expenses
would be acceptable only if the
long-term effects of the costs for
quality work on the organization are
positive. This ensures that the most
important ingredient while
implementing quality management
systems is the accurate knowledge of
quality costs. Observing this
significance, identifying required
resources and accurate control and well
management of costs along with the
analysis of quality costs have emerged
as the crucial factors to be considered.
Environmental Element
The working environment is more
prone to dangers and risks. Hence, it is
always recommended to establish order
in workshops, collect and construction
waste, and to take precautionary
measures to avoid low performance.
Additionally, adjacent buildings and
urban areas must be taken into
consideration.
Underground projects are closely
related to geotechnical issues. For
instance structure collapse must be
given high priority. Let’s consider the
preventive measures in the
geotechnical project that undergo three
stages: short term (at the beginning of
the project), medium term (during the
operation of vibrating machines), and
long term (after the project and during
revenue operation). Thus, on the basis
of the project and its concerning issues,
a detailed project safety operation must
be set and regulations must be
established for proper project
execution, repairing and maintenance,
and regular examinations.
Safety Element
Safety comprises three major elements
i.e. security, health, and peace. Safety
in construction projects consists of the
security and health of all the workers
along with the security and health of
every individual who lives or passes
through adjacent areas of construction
project environment. It also deals with
observing buildings, vehicles,
structures, and equipment inside the
project’s worksite. However, an
accident is the most harmful incident
caused by an unsafe action or unsafe
situation or a combination of both;
which has an adverse effect on the
completion of an activity.
Nevertheless, to attain desirable
standards in construction safety, social
as well as cultural backgrounds need to
be introduced in the community. Later
on, technical and executive
infrastructures should be implemented
in organizations that are active in the
field of construction. Last but not least,
all levels of construction projects,
including employers, consultant
engineers, project managers, and
contractors must be given appropriate
technical knowledge. Apparently, this
task requires special attention from top
managers of the industry along with a
determined programming.
To achieve success, right from the
laborers to the managers is equally
responsible as responsibility is the
main component in the safety concern.
A recent study reveals that various
factors such as employees’ work
environment, project timing, scheduled
programming, skilled workforce,
fulfilling client’s expectations, and
credible managers are the important
elements to cultivate risk management
in construction projects. This makes us
believe in the fact that risk control and
risk management are the preeminent
ways to avoid possible losses and
damages while constructing projects.
|October 2018|40

44. REAL ESTATE
AFTER RERA
DeMo, RERA and GST struck at the heart of the
previously unregulated practices widespread in the
Indian real estate. RERA has been responsible for
smaller and often immoral developers taking a major hit not
only in terms of existing business but future business
viability.
This is largely because of the radical change RERA has
enforced in terms of the ways in which real estate business
must now be conducted. From the need for verified
documentation to increased complexity of business
operations and the compulsion to upgrade their billing
systems, smaller players were initially clueless about how
to proceed.
Not surprisingly, Indian real estate post-RERA has
witnessed major consolidation. Lower sales coupled with
financial incapability also prompted several small-size
developers to either exit or consider consolidation via
mergers, acquisitions, and joint developments with
organized bigger players.
Factors Prompting Collaboration or exit post-RERA
The elimination of pre-launches and the associated
‘rolling’of funds collected from customers from one project
to the other have come to an almost complete halt under
RERA. This has exacerbated the liquidity crunch of smaller
developers.
In fact, rising non-performing assets (NPAs), lower profits
in the real estate sector and RBI labelling the sector as a
high-risk business have made banks cautious about lending
to developers. Bank lending went down from 68% in 2013
to a mere 17% in 2016, and other sources of funding such
as private equity, financial institutions, and pension funds
gained prominence.
However, private equity players are now conducting
thorough due diligence and investing only in ‘clean’ and
viable projects by established developers with strong track
records for compliance and completion. Under-equipped
players, on the other hand, are finding it increasingly
difficult to raise funds.
The strict penalty-clause for project delays under RERA is
also daunting for many tier II and tier III developers. In
fact, the stalled projects of some of these players will
inevitably have to be sold on an ‘as-is’ basis to large
developers.
To cut to the chase, large-scale consolidation of real estate
assets and players is afoot, and very much on the cards in
the foreseeable future as well. This trend will eventually
benefit consumers, as unscrupulous and financially
undisciplined developers will be wiped out and buyers will
get better products without the hitherto notorious delays,
and with vastly reduced risks on their investments.
Collaborate, Consolidate or Exit
Shobhit Agarwal
MD & CEO
|October 2018|42

45. Consolidation in Commercial Real Estate
Major consolidation is not limited to the residential sector,
though it has seen the lion’s share of consolidation moves.
Commercial real estate is also likely to follow suit.
Increasing demand for Grade A office space, which is
already seeing lowest vacancy levels across the top cities, is
the prime reason for consolidation within this space.
Another emerging trend is the increasing demand of
institutional investors, including private equity, sovereign
wealth and pension funds for matured yield-producing
assets in India, particularly in the commercial space. Most
of these matured and ready projects have established rentals
and occupiers, for which the global entities are willing to
write hefty cheques.
Besides bringing in much-needed governance into the
commercial space, this new trend will make it more
structured and transparent. Invariably, only the big
developers will be able to survive this change.
The rising prominence of institutional investors in the
Indian commercial space will also bring a change in the
ownership pattern. Unlike earlier, this segment will no
longer be driven by the whims and fancies of single owners.
With increasing demand for Grade A office space, rents will
most likely see a steady rise and the contractual terms will
become more structured. Besides, for developers who
currently incur huge expenditure in commercial real
estate - be it on land, construction or interior
fit-outs - REITs can be a safe bet to exit the property and
focus on their core area of developing.
Consolidation in IT Companies
Meanwhile, IT companies are shutting down small centres
and consolidating their workforce in bigger cities. Several
corporates including IT companies are reviewing their real
estate strategies and monetising assets wherever possible.
Additionally, companies across sectors are firming up their
relocation and consolidation plans and tenants are locking
in large office spaces at favourable lease terms.
Notably, it is not just the IT sector that is seeing
consolidation - it is equally evident in the BFSI and telecom
sectors, as well.
To conclude:
Despite the churn it causes, consolidation in real estate is
inherently positive as it results in a more streamlined and
customer-friendly landscape and also helps players to
become more efficient and effective in conducting their
business. While the consolidation trend has been an
ongoing phenomenon for quite a while, the recent policy
upheavals have put this trend front and centre.
It is certainly an interesting trend which benefits the real
estate industry as a whole by opening up multiple
opportunities for companies, developers and real estate
consultancies. However, the fact that consolidation also
involved the rather brutal elimination of few smaller
players can, of course, not be ignored either. Like most
change, this one involves a considerable amount of pain
for the stakeholders involved.
Shobhit Agarwal is the MD
& CEO at ANAROCK
Capital. Shobhit Agarwal
has been a prominent
deal-maker in Indian real
estate capital markets for
over two decades. His
capital markets team
consists of well-honed
industry experts who are
adept at handling
multimillion-dollar capital
mandates. Shobhit has
traded capital in excess
of US$ 10 billion in his
previous assignments.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Expert’s Desk
|October 2018| 43

46. Omnichannel Agent
and Customer
Engagement Solutions
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empower agents and achieve business success
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