With air quality in the Delhi-NCR region continuously deteriorating into ‘poor’ and ‘severe’ categories, pollution has emerged as a major factor affecting where people want to live. In response, many real estate developers across the region are pitching their projects as ‘well-being-oriented’ or ‘pollution-resilient’, promoting features such as urban forests, advanced air-filtration systems, green façades and landscaped buffers that claim to provide clean air and healthy living environments.
The current pollution levels underline the urgency. The air quality index (AQI) in the national capital stood at ‘severe’ 454 at 7:05 am, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)’s Sameer App. As per CPCB standards, an AQI of 0-50 is classified as ‘good,’ 51-100 as ‘satisfactory,’ 101-200 as ‘moderate,’ 201-300 as ‘poor,’ 301-400 as ‘very poor’ and 401-500 as ‘severe.’
Against this backdrop, the increasing emphasis on welfare-driven housing appears timely. Post-pandemic, home buyers have become increasingly health conscious, with concerns about respiratory diseases and prolonged exposure to polluted air moving from seasonal concerns to year-round concerns. Developers argue that their design interventions can reduce pollution exposure and create micro-environments that are markedly healthier than the surrounding urban landscape.
However, urban planners say that ‘true sustainability is systemic,’ including energy efficiency, water management, waste reduction and long-term resiliency. While standalone green facilities can improve livable conditions, they cannot solve the city’s broader pollution challenge. They argue that improving air quality is inseparable from urban planning, as long daily commutes limit the impact of short-term interventions on AQI, making planning and design crucial to any sustainable solution.
To cite a few examples, Godrej Properties has introduced a centralized treated fresh air system in its Mathura Road project, which draws in outside air and filters out harmful particles. These systems were developed in partnership with a German firm to reduce PM2.5 levels, helping home buyers ‘breathe a little deeper’. Meanwhile, Max’s new project on Dwarka Expressway promises to ‘Let Nature Make Space for You’, featuring a central forest as its key offering.
Godrej South Estate located on Mathura Road offers 2/3/4 BHK fully furnished apartments. 2.4 crores. This project integrates VRF AC system (Variable Refrigerant Flow AC system which is an advanced, large-scale HVAC technology that uses a single outdoor unit to control multiple indoor units, allowing simultaneous heating and cooling in different zones with high energy efficiency by precisely adjusting the refrigerant flow in each zone), filtering out particles while reducing VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and CO2 with integrated indoor centrally treated Provides Fresh Air (CTFA) technology.
Geetika Trehan, CEO, North Zone, Godrej Properties, told Hindustan Times Real Estate that the company has also introduced outdoor mechanical filterless fresh air (MFFA) systems with multi-stage filtration to control PM2.5 and other pollutants around key landscape areas such as children’s play areas.
Godrej Air, a premium residential project by Godrej Properties in Sector 85, Gurugram, offers Centrally Treated Fresh Air (CTFA) technology with dedicated air purification units in each apartment. He said these units continuously draw in, filter and treat fresh air to reduce particles such as PM2.5 and PM10, thereby ensuring healthy indoor air quality for residents.
Godrej Nature Plus, located in Sector 33, Sohna, has an advanced air purification system called CTMA3 (Centrally Treated Multistage Advanced Active Air Purification) technology, which is an upgraded version of CTFA. Along with emissive particulate filtration, the CTMA3 integrates UV-based advanced oxidation technology to reduce airborne germs and enhance overall air cleanliness, he added.
Max Estates has launched Estate 361 in Sector 36A, Gurugram. Centered on the livewell philosophy, this project promises to offer a forest ecosystem. The residential community offers a ‘forest in your backyard’ with over 2,50,000 square feet of forest, comprising over 1,000 indigenous trees and over 50 flora species, carefully selected to thrive in Gurugram’s climate, the company said in a statement.
Sahil Vachani, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Max Estate, said, “Estate 361 reflects our belief that well-being starts with nature, which is central to our LiveWell philosophy. Time and again, we have seen that people live closer to nature and connect better. With Estate 361, we didn’t want to just add a forest around the development; we started with the forest itself. Everything else grew naturally from there, like a seed taking root. And shapes a vibrant community. Our intention was not only to preserve nature around the homes, but to create a place that truly feels part of a living, thriving forest.’
Here’s what experts say about eco-friendly features
Experts say features like Miyawaki Forest, dense, fast-growing plantations of native tree species designed to mimic natural forests within large residential developments, could make a difference. However, Praveenjit KP, civil engineer and managing director of Bengaluru-based environmental consultancy EcoParadigm, said their impact largely depends on intention and long-term execution.
“Miyawaki plantations provide benefits, particularly by creating dense foliage that can reduce the penetration of some pollutant particles into residential areas,” he said, cautioning that they are not a natural form of green cover and come with ecological limitations.
He said such forests require carefully selected plant species and constant maintenance to remain effective. “These systems are not a one-time installation. They require ongoing maintenance throughout the project life cycle to provide meaningful air-quality benefits,” Praveenjeet said. Without long-term care, environmental benefits can quickly diminish, he said.
On what home buyers should evaluate, Praveenjit found that most buyers still compare projects primarily on price per square foot, with few paying attention to visible green features like solar panels or water conservation systems. “What is often missing is a comparison of actual outcomes,” he said. “Buyers should be asking how much water is actually being saved or how much pollution is being reduced, not just whether a green feature is present.”
There is also a problem of maintenance. Air-filtration systems that are not serviced regularly, or green features that deteriorate over time due to lack of water or inadequate maintenance, can quickly lose their effectiveness. Experts say buyers are often less aware of long-term operating costs, which ultimately results in higher maintenance charges.
Wellness as a selling tool
Some industry observers say that ‘wellness’ has increasingly become a marketing differentiator rather than a strictly defined standard.
“True sustainability is systemic,” says one urban planner. “It includes energy efficiency, water management, waste reduction, and long-term resiliency. Isolated green features may improve livability, but they do not solve the city’s pollution crisis.”
“You can’t improve air quality Without deciding how to plan cities. Our urban systems are designed for long journeys and chronic congestion. As long as people are forced to travel long distances every day, short-term measures will have limited impact on AQI. This is where planning and design become important,” explains architect and urban planner Dikshu C Kukreja.
This thinking directly informs projects like East Delhi HubEnvisioned as the country’s first transit-oriented development. By bringing homes, workplaces, public facilities and mass transit closer, the project reduces the need for long daily commutes and encourages public transportation as the default choice. When distances are shortened and mobility becomes more efficient, emissions are reduced massively. In that sense, the mobility plan itself becomes an air-quality plan, he explains.
“At the construction level, we follow strict dust-control protocols. Projects like Thal Sena Bhawan use dust suppression systems, covered material handling, wheel washing and continuous site monitoring to reduce particulate matter. At our sites, we emphasize phased construction, efficient logistics and use of cleaner, better-maintained equipment,” he said.
“Ultimately, cleaner air will come from better city systems, not isolated fixes, and architects have a responsibility to thoughtfully design those systems,” he said.
