Founded in May 2025, Build4Sustainability Mumbai is a social impact initiative dedicated to mitigating air pollution in congested urban areas such as Mumbai, with a particular focus on reducing emissions from construction sites. The project adopts a multi-pronged approach to address barriers to improving environmental safety standards within the Indian construction industry while enhancing the quality of life of construction workers from underserved communities.
Build4Sustainability Mumbai is built upon a foundation of rigorous research and innovation. From May to November 2025, founder Divish Bhagtani conducted research titled "Comparative Analysis of Plant-Based and Electrostatic Precipitation Methods for Indoor Particulate Matter Reduction." The study investigated the effectiveness of two air-purifying plants—sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and peace lily (Spathiphyllum spp.)—compared with a 3D-printed electrostatic precipitator (ESP) in reducing indoor PM2.5 concentrations. To evaluate their relative performance, controlled experiments were conducted within a pollution chamber to measure time-dependent particulate matter removal, while also comparing the ESP's energy consumption, noise levels, and maintenance requirements against the passive, low-energy characteristics of plant-based air purification.
The research concluded that, although the electrostatic precipitator achieved significantly higher PM2.5 removal over shorter periods, air-purifying plants offered a low-maintenance, energy-efficient, and socially acceptable alternative for improving indoor air quality over sustained periods. The study also examined the relative cost, sustainability, feasibility, and community acceptance of both approaches, ultimately proposing practical recommendations for affordable indoor air quality interventions in low-income and at-risk communities. The paper was accepted for publication in the proceedings of the International Conference on Mechanics and Mechanics of Materials (IC3M) in November 2025, published in the International Journal of Advanced Engineering Application (IJAEA) in December 2025, and submitted to the IRIS National Science Fair 2025.
Building on this research, Build4Sustainability Mumbai developed and deployed an innovative electrostatic precipitator (ESP) mat designed to achieve high particulate matter capture efficiency while reducing energy consumption. Intended for deployment at construction sites, the ESP mat helps reduce the dispersal of airborne particulate matter that adversely affects urban air quality and community health. Through its multi-pronged approach, Build4Sustainability Mumbai seeks to promote higher environmental safety standards across the construction industry while translating research-driven innovation into practical, real-world impact.