A High-level delegation from Canada, led by Mr Richard Guy Manwaring, Dy. Minister, Ministry of Forests; visited the Canadian wood project at MAK BTR, Hyderabad; as part of the India Mission Program 2023 organized by Forestry Innovation Investment (FII), Canada. MAK collaborated with Canadian Wood (FII) to Develop and Promote Sustainable Luxury wood housing in India.
The delegation was thoroughly impressed with the project and appreciated the initiative of Promoter and Managing Director of MAK Projects, Dr Nawab Mir Nasir Ali Khan. The delegation was received by Mir Osman Ali Khan, Director Business Development, MAK Projects; Amina Mehmood Khan, Director MAK Sustainable Developers; Mir Ainan Ali Khan, Director, MAK Sustainable Developers and Anupam Kapoor, VP, MAK Sustainable Developers, for conceiving and developing a replica of the exquisite Canadian wooden homes, in this part of the world.
Mir Nasir Ali Khan briefed the delegates about his grand vision of building sustainable wooden dwellings in India through MAK BTR, in the next five years. The compelling need for sustainable wooden dwellings here, the challenges and opportunities he foresees for sustainable wood projects in India. He highlighted the reduction of carbon footprint to the extent of 481 metric tons through the use of wood in the structure by MAK BTR, which he said is equivalent to removing 102 cars from the road for a year. He elaborated on how wood scores over concrete including wood being carbon negative, biodegradable, reusable, and recyclable unlike concrete. Concrete constructions being responsible for 11% of global carbon emissions and it, relying heavily on scarce resources like water and sand, while wood is a dry construction. Construction time involved in wooden structures being 3x times faster than concrete structures. Later Mir Osman Ali khan gave a guided tour of the Canadian wood villa to the mission.
The visiting delegation comprised of Richard Guy Manwaring, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Forests; Pierre Jonathan Teasdale, Director of Trade and International Affairs, Natural Resources Canada; Bruce St John, President-Canada Wood Group; John Langley, General Manager Export Marketing & Sales, Tolko Industries; Sukdev David Singh Sundher, VP Sales and Marketing, Sundher Group; Kamaljit Singh Sanghera, Executive Director, San Industries Ltd.; Michael Loseth, President and CEO, Forestry Innovation Investment (FII); Jim Messer, VP, International Marketing, FII; Ritesh Kumar, Assistant Director, Business Development, Forestry Innovation Consulting India & Mr. Vikram Jain, Trade commissioner- Consulate General of Canada, Government of Canada.
MAK Canadian Sustainable luxury wood housing project work commenced on 8th Oct 2021 at BTR Greens and was unveiled on 20th Sept.2022. The project was completed in less than 12 months. MAK Projects Canadian Wood villa; received the prestigious Sustainable Project of the year award India at the National Excellence Award, Mumbai, in November 2022.
