Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in collaboration with United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Global Environment Facility (GEF), has undertaken a five-year project for the promotion of production and use of perforated/hollow clay-fired blocks. As a part of the project, a study is being conducted by Greentech Knowledge Solutions Private Limited (GKSPL).

A stakeholder's workshop on "Action Plan to Develop the Market of Hollow and Perforated Fired-Clay Bricks" was organized on 8th June 2016 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The workshop was attended by around 50 participants consisting of REB producers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, conventional brick producers from West Bengal, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh as well as machinery manufacturers and officials from MoEFCC and BMTPC. The key findings of the background presentation done by Greentech Knowledge Solutions are as follows:

• The annual production of perforated bricks has doubled during 2011-2015, from around 20 million standard bricks to 40 million standard bricks.
• The annual production of hollow clay fired blocks has increased by 1.5 times during 2011-2015, from around, from around 100 million standard bricks to 160 million standard bricks.
• Some of the key steps needed to increase the manufacturing and market for REBs are:
• Recognition of REBs as resource efficient products through certification by government agencies (e.g. MoEFCC eco label and/or PACS scheme of BMTPC) and by independent green building product ratings (GRIHA, IGBC, GBCI).
• Making available appropriate integrated technology package along with access to finance to existing/ new REB producers.
• Large awareness campaigns to increase awareness about REBs and inclusion of REBs in the Schedule of Rates of the state PWDS.
• Resolving issues in clay supply and procurement for REB manufacturing.