Dr. (Ar.) Roshni Udyavar Yehuda, CEO, Roshni
Udyavar & Associates (RUA) and RUA Ecospaces LLP
Could you provide an introduction of yourself
to our audience?
I am a practicing architect and academician whose core
competency is energy-efficient and environmental design of buildings. I have a
Ph.D. in Resource Management and am a qualified Master Trainer and Empaneled
Expert on the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) of India, awarded by the
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE-UNDP-GEF), since February 2015.
I am also Chairperson of ASSOCHAM GEM Maharashtra Chapter
and CEO of Roshni Udyavar & Associates (RUA) and RUA Ecospaces LLP, Mumbai.
I was Principal Investigator for the Science and Technology Park Pune’s
Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India’s research project on
developing energy-efficient and ECBC-compliant opaque wall assembly for hot-dry
and warm-humid climates (2017–21).
I was a subcommittee member of the Building Envelope
Subcommittee for ISHRAE (Indian Society for Heating Refrigeration and Air
Conditioning Engineers) for the development of the India Building Energy
Efficiency Standard (IBEES) and for the Energy Conservation and Sustainable
Building Code (ECSBC) 2023, a member of the All India Town and Country Planning
(T&CP) Board, AICTE, Government of India (2020-22) and was part of a
committee set up under the aegis of Niti Aayog on Urban Reforms Capacity in India,
March 2022. I am a member of the Indian Institute of Architects’s Green and
Sustainability Committee (2023–25) and empanelled with the Government of Goa as
a BEE-certified master trainer and third-party assessor and with the Government
of Punjab as a design professional for the implementation of the Energy
Conservation Building Code (ECBC) till October 2026 and September 2025,
respectively.
In March 2025, I was conferred ‘The Real Woman Award 2025’
at the national level as a Green Building Consultant. Other awards include
‘BEST PAPER AWARD’ at the 34th International Passive and Low Energy
Architecture (PLEA) 2018 Conference, 2018, Hong Kong, and a Certificate of
Appreciation by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), New Delhi, for
‘Institutionalizing Capacity Building for Energy Conservation Building Codes in
the State of Maharashtra,’ January 2016. I have about 20 national and
international publications to my credit.
I headed the Rachana Sansad’s Institute of Environmental
Architecture from June 2003 to July 2017, where I initiated several
environmental projects in addition to a postgraduate course on environmental
architecture. I have more than 20 years of academic and professional experience
and have traveled widely on professional assignments to more than 20 countries.
I am committed to local and global sustainability through
creative educational and professional initiatives and appropriate technology,
with an emphasis on equity, scientific thought, and ecological values.
Could you tell us more about your firms Roshni
Udyavar & Associates (RUA) and RUA Ecospaces LLP and the services they
offer?
RUA Ecospaces LLP has evolved from Roshni Udyavar &
Associates (RUA), a proprietorship firm that was established by Dr. Roshni
Udyavar Yehuda in 2005 in Mumbai, India. RUA Ecospaces is a multidisciplinary
consultancy firm specializing in sustainable architecture, environmental
design, and energy efficiency. Led by CEO Dr. Roshni Udyavar Yehuda, we bring
over two decades of expertise in creating resource-efficient and humane spaces.
We offer comprehensive services in green building design
and certification, energy and green audits, human-centric interior designs,
training and capacity building, and sustainable urban planning. Our goal is to
deliver tailored, context-specific sustainable solutions that enhance the
potential of spaces while embracing environmental responsibility.
Our services include:
1. Sustainable
& Green Building Design
Designing low- and net-zero energy, water, and waste
buildings; ecological landscape design; selection of low-embodied energy and
sustainable materials; providing improved environmental quality
2. Green
Building and other certifications
Facilitating green building certifications such as LEED,
IGBC, GRIHA, ASSOCHAM GEM, and EDGE, as well as ESG, carbon accounting, and
BRSR reporting.
3. Green
Audit (ISO 17020:2012)
Conducting comprehensive audits to assess environmental
performance, aiding in sustainability goals and compliance in accordance with
ISO 17020.
4. Green
Interiors
Creating human-centric interior designs using eco-friendly
materials, ensuring optimal indoor environmental quality, energy, and water
efficiency.
5. Training
& Capacity Building
Offering online and offline workshops and programs focused
on sustainability, energy efficiency, and green building practices.
6. Energy
Audit
Providing services to optimize energy consumption and
enhance building performance.
What inspired you to venture into sustainable
architecture, and how does your leadership style contribute to your team's
success?
After spending nearly 15 years in academics in the field of
environmental architecture, and prior to that in research, writing, and
developmental work related to sustainable development for 5 years at IISF
(International Institute for Sustainable Future, Mumbai & New York), I felt
that it was time for me to leverage my knowledge and network to put research
and theory into practice. Sustainable architecture was my natural choice.
My leadership style emanates from my academic background.
My institute at Rachana Sansad was a breeding ground for excellence—for both
teachers and students. We ensured that every person gets the space and
motivation to pursue their specific interest and vision and, through regular
appraisals, to move towards excellence. This credo continues in my practice. I
find myself in the role of nurturing professionals who will not only represent
the best in the field but whose personal vision and passion are synchronous
with our goal of protecting and sustaining the environment.
Could you walk us through your professional
journey starting from your roles as an advisor, trainer, and thought leader in
sustainable design?
I consider myself very fortunate to have been mentored by internationally renowned environmental scientist and activist Dr. Rashmi Mayur. Soon after my graduation, I joined the International Institute for Sustainable Future (IISF), which provided research, training, advocacy, and guidance on environmental issues. While here, I worked in different roles—as researcher, architect, and editor—and also upscaled my skills in film production and photography, to name a few. I also got international exposure through traveling to nearly 15 countries over a span of 5 years, working on various projects, presenting papers, attending seminars, and organizing international delegations, including a hundred-plus delegation to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2000.
From 2002 to 2017, I was associated with Rachana Sansad as
Head of the Institute of Environmental Architecture, where I was fortunate to
be mentored by visionary architect and educationist and founding Chairman of
Rachana Sansad, Prof. S.H. Wandrekar. This institute pioneered the first-ever
postgraduate course in environmental architecture affiliated with the
Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education and later a master's program in
environmental architecture affiliated with the YCMO University, Nashik,
creating a multidisciplinary curriculum and providing an opportunity for
practicing professionals to partake in knowledge and skills required for the
practice of sustainability in construction.
With short stints as Vice President, Sustainability at ICMQ
India Pvt. Ltd. and Head of Operations at MPEN Systems Pvt. Ltd. until 2019, I
decided to move into sustainable architecture practice in 2019, starting with
online courses in energy-efficient and climate-responsive design during the
COVID pandemic, which led to a series of courses, finally culminating in
on-demand courses on Sustemy (Sustainable Education Academy, Australia).
Thereafter, Roshni Udyavar & Associates dived full-fledged into Green Building
Design and Construction and Green Audit projects in various parts of India. In
2023, RUA Ecospaces LLP was formed, mainly as a need for accreditation from the
Quality Council of India in ISO 17020 for Green Audit, which was awarded to it
in June 2024.
Currently, RUA and RUA Ecospaces LLP go hand in hand in
working on nearly 30 projects in different parts of India and the UAE. RUA
Ecospaces has leveraged the experience of academics, the research acumen, and
the need for practicality on the ground to develop some unique projects in
environmental sustainability.
What are your current roles and
responsibilities across the various domains you are involved in—academia,
policy, consultancy, and research?
Since academia and research have been the pivots of my
career, I continue to stay in touch with academic institutions by delivering
lectures as a visiting faculty member or in the role of research guide and
juror for various institutions. I also conduct training through faculty
development programs organized by the Council of Architecture from time to
time.
As a master trainer for ECBC, I continue to provide
training to various stakeholders in the building sector and contribute to
policy through my positions in ASSOCHAM GEM (as Maharashtra Chapter
Chairperson), the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA) through its Green and
Sustainable Committee, as a member of the technical committee of Energy
Conservation Sustainable Building Codes (ECSBC) and the Bureau of Indian
Standards (BIS) Panel for Sustainability (CED).
My major focus is on consultancy and sustainable
architecture projects—providing unique and context-specific designs as per the
needs of the client, with a focus on quality of output and with a view to
creating green buildings and sustainable neighborhoods.
What notable projects have you undertaken in
environmental architecture, and how has your expertise in resource management,
energy-efficient design, and sustainability contributed to your success?
We have undertaken a wide variety of projects under the
Green Building Design and Certification category. Here our role has been to
guide the design team to develop the project in a sustainable manner while
meeting the stringent requirements of the green building certification.
Completed projects include IGBC Homes Platinum certified,
Chanda Baug, a 16,000 sq. ft. residential project in Bhuj for industrialist and
philanthropist Dipesh Shroff and the IGBC New Buildings Platinum certified
40,000 sq. ft. Agrocel House, headquarters of Agrocel Industries Pvt. Ltd.,
Bhuj. In Mumbai, Nahar Excalibur, a 50,000 sq. ft. residential high-rise luxury
project, the first one to receive an ASSOCHAM GEM 5-star rating, is our
highlight. Another residential project for Crystal Group includes an energy
efficient façade, radiant cooling rooftop and grey water recycling.
Other ongoing projects include an EDGE-rated farmhouse in
Raipur, IGBC service building rating for Solaris Chemtech Admin and Canteen
Buildings in Khavda, 7 residential redevelopment projects with ASSOCHAM GEM
rating in Navi Mumbai, 10 IGBC school projects in Hyderabad, Pune, and
Bangalore, 7 ECBC compliance projects in Punjab, Dr. L.H. Hiranandani Mumbai
for IGBC Green Healthcare Platinum and LEED O+M rating, Satin Creditcare
Network Pvt. Ltd. Headquarters in Gurugram, and 2 LEED O+M school projects in
Dubai, UAE.
We have completed more than 15 ISO 17020 Green Audit
projects in different parts of India. Two recent sustainable design projects
worth mentioning are the SVT College Eco Hub & Rainwater Harvesting Project
and a project on the revitalization of outdoor banquet space for the esteemed
Bombay Presidency Radio Club, both of which contribute to increasing green
spaces and landscape in the built environment.
What key insights or advice would you offer to
young professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs?
Young professionals having an inclination to work in the
field of sustainable architecture must develop a holistic understanding and
approach to the subject and delve deep into the subject by upgrading their
knowledge and skills by reading, researching, writing, publishing articles, and
through sustained and focused work.
Entrepreneurs in this field need to be thorough with the subject, as it embraces multiple disciplines. At the same time, it is important to onboard management skills and develop a long-term vision for the company and the team. It is important to choose your niche and work on it with deep focus.
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