Faculty Development Program: Sustainability in Construction Sector-2026

Department of Civil Engineering

Five-Day Faculty Development Program on Sustainable Construction

JCT College of Engineering and Technology | 5–9 January 2026

Program Overview

The Department of Civil Engineering, JCT College of Engineering and Technology, successfully organized a five-day Faculty Development Program (FDP) from 5 to 9 January 2026, focusing on sustainability, environmental responsibility and emerging technologies in the construction sector.

The program brought together academicians, researchers and experts from different institutions to exchange knowledge on sustainable construction, environmental design, green buildings, advanced energy systems and resource-efficient infrastructure. Faculty members from various engineering colleges actively participated throughout the five-day program.

Day 1 | 5 January 2026

Sustainability in Construction Sector

The first day of the FDP focused on the critical theme “Sustainability in Construction Sector.” The session commenced with a welcome address by Dr. V. Murugesh, Head of the Department of Civil Engineering, who introduced the objectives of the program and emphasized the importance of sustainability in modern civil engineering.

The distinguished resource persons were Prof. Dr. Flavio Stochino, Associate Professor, and Dr. Arnas Majumder, Research Scholar, from the Department of Civil, Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari.

They were formally introduced by Prof. R. Jegadeswari and Prof. Reshma P. D., Assistant Professors in the Department of Civil Engineering.

The international experts shared their knowledge and research perspectives on sustainable engineering practices and contemporary developments in the construction sector. The session provided participants with valuable global exposure to approaches for creating more environmentally responsible and resilient infrastructure.

The first day concluded with a Vote of Thanks delivered by Prof. D. Arul Ganapathy, marking the successful completion of the international knowledge-sharing session.

Day 2 | 6 January 2026

Design for the Environment (DFE) in Construction

The second day addressed the theme “Design for the Environment (DFE) in Construction.” The session focused on reducing the environmental footprint of infrastructure through proactive and environmentally responsible design decisions.

Dr. V. Murugesh, Head of the Department of Civil Engineering, welcomed the gathering and highlighted the department's commitment to sustainable engineering education and environmentally conscious construction practices.

Prof. R. Jagedeswari introduced the resource person, Ms. Varsha Ramharak, highlighting her professional expertise in international Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) standards and her experience in the Caribbean region.

The technical session explored the integration of environmental considerations from the earliest stages of construction projects. Important concepts included life-cycle thinking, sustainable material selection and waste minimization.

Faculty members actively participated in the interactive discussion, exploring how international and Caribbean HSE practices could be understood and applied within the Indian construction context.

The session concluded with a Vote of Thanks delivered by Prof. Hari G.S., who expressed gratitude to the resource person, management and participating faculty members.

Day 3 | 7 January 2026

Green Building: A Path for Sustainability

Day three of the FDP focused on “Green Building: A Path for Sustainability.” The program aimed to enhance faculty understanding of evolving sustainable construction strategies and the role of green-building practices in modern engineering.

Prof. Reshma P.D. delivered the Welcome Address and highlighted the importance of incorporating eco-friendly engineering practices into academic curricula.

Prof. D. Arul Ganapathy introduced the Chief Guest, Mr. Imed Krayem, TSPM Project Manager, highlighting his experience in international project management and sustainable infrastructure.

Mr. Imed Krayem delivered the technical session and provided participants with insights into sustainable development and approaches toward carbon neutrality in construction.

The interactive discussion enabled participants to examine the challenges associated with implementing green-building practices in local contexts and explore methods for bridging the gap between theoretical sustainability and practical field implementation.

Dr. V. Murugesh, Head of the Department of Civil Engineering, delivered the Vote of Thanks and emphasized the importance of continuous faculty development in keeping educators aligned with global industry practices.

Day 4 | 8 January 2026

Fission Energy and Liquid Fission Machines: Power Pathways for a Net Zero Future

The fourth day explored the futuristic topic “Fission Energy and Liquid Fission Machines: Power Pathways for a Net Zero Future.”

The session examined the intersection between advanced nuclear energy technologies and civil infrastructure, focusing on the potential role of advanced fission systems in supporting long-term decarbonization and sustainable energy infrastructure.

Dr. V. Murugesh welcomed the participants and discussed the evolving responsibilities of civil engineers in designing infrastructure for complex and advanced energy facilities.

Prof. R. Jagedeswari introduced the core themes of the session, highlighting the transition from conventional fossil-fuel-based energy systems toward advanced energy technologies.

The interdisciplinary nature of the topic generated significant discussion among faculty participants regarding the structural and infrastructure requirements of next-generation energy projects and how civil engineering curricula can evolve to address these emerging areas.

The program concluded with a Vote of Thanks delivered by Prof. Sadhasivam M., who thanked the management and participating faculty members for supporting the technical discussions and interactive sessions.

Day 5 | 9 January 2026

Principle of Sustainable Construction

The final day of the FDP focused on the “Principle of Sustainable Construction,” emphasizing environmentally responsible construction methods, efficient use of resources and long-term infrastructure sustainability.

Prof. Sadhasivam delivered the welcome address, emphasizing the importance of continuous professional development and sustainable practices in modern Civil Engineering education.

The Chief Guest was introduced by Prof. R. Jegadeswari, who highlighted the guest's academic achievements and professional contributions.

Dr. V. Murugesh delivered the technical session on sustainable construction principles. The session covered sustainable material selection, energy-efficient construction, life-cycle assessment, waste minimization, green-building standards and sustainability in project planning and execution.

Practical perspectives and real-world examples enriched the learning experience. Faculty members from different institutions actively participated in discussions, encouraging interdisciplinary thinking and potential research collaboration in sustainable construction.

The five-day FDP concluded with a Vote of Thanks delivered by Prof. Hari G.S., expressing gratitude to the resource persons, organizing committee, faculty coordinators, participants and supporting staff.

Global Knowledge & Academic Collaboration

The FDP provided faculty members with valuable exposure to national and international perspectives on sustainable construction. Expert interactions and technical discussions encouraged knowledge exchange, interdisciplinary thinking and opportunities for academic and research collaboration in emerging areas of Civil Engineering.

Program Outcome

The five-day Faculty Development Program successfully strengthened participants' understanding of sustainable construction principles, green-building practices, environmental design and emerging energy technologies.

The program enhanced faculty competency and encouraged educators to integrate contemporary sustainability concepts into teaching, research and professional engineering practice. It also reinforced the importance of academic collaboration and continuous professional development in addressing future environmental and infrastructure challenges.

Advancing Sustainable Engineering Education

Through five days of expert-led learning, global knowledge exchange and interdisciplinary discussions, the FDP strengthened the role of engineering educators in advancing sustainable, resilient and environmentally responsible infrastructure for the future.