Greener glass manufacturing in India

Showcasing sustainable manufacturing

In collaboration with leading integrated glass manufacturer Asahi India Glass Limited (AIS), Mott MacDonald delivered an advanced greenfield automotive glass facility in the state of Gujarat, which is designed for long-term operational efficiency, resilience and sustainability.

Demand is growing in India for high-quality automotive glass products to supply the country’s expanding domestic automative industry and reduce reliance on imports.

Strategic investment in world-class manufacturing and industrial facilities has enabled AIS to address evolving market demands and reinforce its leadership as India’s premier integrated glass manufacturer.

In collaboration with Mott MacDonald, AIS established an advanced greenfield automotive glass facility near Mehsana in the state of Gujarat, which will primarily be used to fulfil the automotive glass requirements of one of India’s largest automobile manufacturers.

The investment also supports the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative to build a stronger, more competitive manufacturing and industrial base, which drives national self-reliance.

As the engineering, procurement and construction management consultant for the project, Mott MacDonald designed and delivered phase one, encompassing a 55,000m² built-up area. This phase included a range of buildings and structures, including the assembly area, warehouse, utilities and administrative areas, carefully planned to meet the project's functional and operational requirements.

Working with the natural environment

Site masterplanning and land development played a key role in minimising earthwork activities, such as cutting and filling, at the sloped site. This preserved the natural topography and reduced environmental impact.

The selected site featured a natural southward slope, which presented opportunities and challenges for development. AIS initially proposed to flatten the site to 70.3m above sea level but there were two major challenges with this approach:

1. Inefficient use of natural topography: flattening the site at the proposed level did not leverage the site's natural slope and would have required substantial earth filling – significantly increasing material and transportation costs.
2. Overlooking natural drainage patterns: uniform grading would not have taken advantage of the inherent drainage potential of the site's slope. Flattening the site would have required excavation and construction work to manage stormwater. Additional reinforced cement concrete drain walls and increased shuttering to support the concrete, would have been required.

Our civil engineers found smarter design options that aligned the facility layout with the land’s natural slope and drainage. This approach reduced soil displacement and energy consumption, supporting sustainable development goals. It also resulted in significant capital cost savings of around INR 100M (about £850,000).

Ajay Sahni, Mott MacDonald’s divisional director for industry in India, said: “Our collaboration with the client on this project reflects the commitment of our team to sustainable manufacturing by reducing environmental impact and delivering long-term returns on capital investment through operational efficiency and resilience.”

Why glass?

An important element in achieving the facility’s green building performance is the use of high performance architectural glass solutions by AIS. These advanced glazing solutions have been strategically integrated across the façade to minimise solar heat gain while ensuring optimal visible light transmission. This creates well daylit workspaces and shopfloors.

In Gujarat’s warm climate, this significantly reduces the overall cooling load, lowering dependence on air conditioning and enhancing energy efficiency across the facility. At the same time, ample daylight penetration limits the need for artificial lighting during the day.

Together, these high performance glazing systems contribute to improved occupant comfort, operational efficiency, and strongly support the facility’s sustainability goals and green building rating.

Showcasing product innovation

Integrating the company’s own glass products into the facility’s façade also served as a live showcase of AIS's product quality and innovation.

It enhanced the building’s aesthetic appeal, created an energy-efficient and employee-friendly environment and turned the facility into a powerful marketing tool. This exemplifies how thoughtful design and client collaboration can align brand storytelling with sustainable building practices.