Fifth CII REBT Conference

IoT, AI and smart building solutions are revolutionizing real estate and vertical transportation, according to experts.

The real estate sector stands out as one of the most globally recognized industries, encompassing four key sub-sectors: housing, retail, hospitality and commercial. Its expansion is closely intertwined with corporate growth, driving demand for office spaces and both urban and semi–urban accommodations.

Remarkably, the construction industry ranks third among the 14 major sectors, exerting direct, indirect and induced effects across the entire economy.

To address the increasing demand for managing diverse projects across cities, developers are adopting centralized processes for material sourcing and manpower organization. Moreover, they are prioritizing the recruitment of skilled professionals in areas such as project management, architecture, engineering and better raw material.

With the growing Indian economy, the need in real estate is to have buildings with world-class technology that incorporate quality, comfort and safety. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) organized the fifth edition of Real Estate & Building Technology (REBT) Expo 2025 from February 20-22 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, with a dual objective to upsurge the real estate sector, as well as create world-class technology building in India.

The fifth edition of REBT expo was organized concurrently with CII’s biennial flagship multi-sector industry event, the 26th International Engineering and Technology Fair (IETF 2025). IETF 2025 is a premier international platform that showcases cutting-edge advancements across multiple industries, including engineering, infrastructure and technology.

During the event, CII, in collaboration with Cushman & Wakefield, released the report Indian Real Estate 2030: Technology, Sustainability and Growth, providing insights into the sector’s future. The report covers the growing role of AI, Internet of Things (IoT) and digital twins, along with the shift toward green buildings and net-zero energy structures. The report also examines the impact of smart technologies and sustainability-focused policies in driving efficiency and growth.

A conference on REBT was held on the opening day, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers and experts to discuss the future of real estate and construction in India.   

“India’s rapid urbanization and economic expansion present significant opportunities for collaboration in green buildings, smart urban planning and digital solutions,” said H.E. Kimmo Lähdevirta, ambassador of Finland to India, while addressing the conference. Finnish companies are playing a key role in India’s transformation through energy-efficient infrastructure, modular construction and smart water management, he added.

Anshuman Magazine, chairman, CII National Committee on Urban Development and Housing and chairman and CEO, CBRE – India, Southeast Asia, Middle East and Africa, underscored India’s rapid urbanization and the unprecedented scale of real estate development spanning residential, commercial, logistics and infrastructure projects. “The pace of construction in India is unparalleled, with ongoing developments in smart cities, industrial parks and data centers,” he said, adding that AI and construction technology will be key enablers in scaling up sustainable and cost-efficient infrastructure.

The real estate sector, contributing more than 7% to the gross domestic product, is projected to become a US$1 trillion market by 2030, said Amit Gossain, chairman, REBT Show and managing director, KONE Elevators – India and South Asia. He stressed the role of technology and sustainability in shaping the sector. “IoT, AI and smart building solutions are revolutionizing real estate, ensuring energy efficiency, security and data-driven decision-making,” he added.

Dr. Shailesh Aggarwal, executive director, Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council, stressed the transformative role of off-site construction in boosting efficiency and sustainability in real estate. He said that off-site modular construction is key to reducing construction time, waste and environmental impact.

Providing insights on the REBT Expo in a LinkedIn post, Gossain shared: 

“We had a highly successful REBT Expo, organized by CII at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan. As the chair of the REBT Expo, I was honored to work with exceptional leaders from the real estate and building technology sectors. Their vision and dedication were key to making this event a massive success.”

“A special thanks to the CII team, whose support and excellence remain unmatched, as always. At the expo, we also launched the insightful industry report Indian Real Estate 2030, produced by CII and Cushman & Wakefield, featuring expert contributions from many of our steering committee members. The exhibition showcased cutting-edge innovations, including real estate technology, building management systems and sustainability-driven solutions. 

“KONE had a prominent presence, displaying our range of smart elevators, KONE 24/7 Connected Services, iFace Mirror and the latest Make-in-India escalator. Kudos to our marketing, North, factory and technology teams for bringing it all together so seamlessly!

“Privileged to welcome distinguished guests, including Mr. Sanjiv Puri, president of CII & chairman of ITC; Shri Srinivas Katikithala, secretary, Ministry of Housing Urban Affairs; H.E. Mr. Kimmo Lähdevirta, ambassador of Finland to India; and Mr. Chandrajit Banerjee, director general, CII.

“We were also delighted to host prominent customers from leading organizations such as Signature Global, ATS, OMAXE, DS and Unity Group and many others, making the event even more impactful.

“All in all, a fantastic event filled with innovation, collaboration, and meaningful discussions.”