Shalini Shrimali
Associate Professor
About
Shalini Shrimali is an Associate Professor at the School of Design and Innovation, RV University. An architect and academician with over 23 years of professional and academic experience, she is passionate about advancing design education through innovation, sustainability, and contextual relevance. Her teaching philosophy is deeply student-centric, fostering curiosity, critical thinking, creativity, and experiential learning to equip students for the evolving demands of the design profession.
Her academic and research interests encompass sustainable architecture, vernacular and climate-responsive design, design innovation, and interdisciplinary learning. She advocates for design approaches that balance environmental responsibility with cultural sensitivity, encouraging students to draw inspiration from indigenous knowledge systems while addressing contemporary challenges. Through her teaching, research, and academic leadership, she strives to cultivate socially conscious, ethically grounded, and future-ready designers capable of creating meaningful and resilient built environments.
Mumbai, a rapidly growing city, faces challenges in maintaining its road infrastructure with increasing traffic and frequent repairs. Traditional methods, like cast-in-situ concrete, are proving inefficient, causing long construction times, traffic jams, and frequent repairs. This research explores whether precast construction systems, an innovative and sustainable method, is a better solution for Mumbai.
The research focuses on how sustainable materials, specifically precast concrete, could disrupt conventional construction practices in Mumbai. Precast concrete technology offers several advantages, including reduced construction time and improved durability. For example, in Nagpur, a 100-meter precast concrete road was completed in just 6 hours, a process that would typically take a month using traditional methods. Other case studies, like VNIT Nagpur and UltraTech RMC Plant in Bangalore, demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach.To investigate these issues, mixed-methods approach was used, including a literature review, case study analysis, and a survey of experienced architects and engineers in Mumbai. The research also identified long-term cost savings as a key benefit, despite higher initial investments.
This research aims to analyse how precast systems can be effectively implemented in Mumbai's unique urban environment. It will explore both benefits and challenges, such as initial costs and logistical hurdles, to provide practical insights for city planners and policymakers. Ultimately, the goal is to propose strategies that could transform Mumbai's road infrastructure, making it more efficient, durable, and sustainable. This research highlights how sustainable materials like precast concrete can disrupt traditional construction practices, setting a new standard for cities facing similar challenges.
It has been observed that workers’ onsite accommodation is given a secondary concern while construction is underway, especially in metropolitan cities like Mumbai. The quality of this accommodation is mediocre due to a number of factors including limited site area, insufficient financial apportionments, and lack of importance placed on the workforce. This carries a negative impact on their physical and mental health, thereby bringing down productivity. Site workers’ accommodations have rarely been thought of in a sensible manner as practically they do not yield any direct economic returns. It is a widely accepted fact that manpower planning is equally important, akin to equipment and finance planning. If the physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing of workers is assured, it will certainly improve their efficiency. Thus, it is imperative to integrate labor facility management with the construction process.
The research aims to explore methods for the upgradation of living conditions of construction workers on sites in Mumbai, with respect to the provision of basic amenities, building materials and techniques used for constructing them, and social inclusion. It attempts to study available authority guidelines and their implementation. Both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies are used for analyzing existing conditions, studying norms, and identifying best practices in and outside the country including community-led development through case studies, suggesting remedial actions, and defining future trajectories. Research concludes with recommendations and suggestive measures to upgrade living conditions of site workers to improve the productivity.
National Mission for a Green India (GIM) is one of the eight Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change. State wise allocation of funds is an encouraging step taken under the initiative. As a response to climate change amongst the objectives of the mission, contribution of construction sector could prove valuable if planned systematically. Technology intervention, public awareness, and private sector operators can play a major role in implementation of the strategies for sustainable development. Considering the adverse effects of climate change, it is the right time to stich sustainable practices with our goals and efforts together in order to create an ideal place to live. The
entire onus thus comes on the regulating bodies and designing an approach which can certainly change the lookout of citizens and align it with the national vision and mission of the country.
Rapid urbanization is transforming city skylines, often at the expense of environmental and cultural identity. Future development must embrace climate-responsive design, vernacular principles, and locally sourced building materials. Excessive glazing increases heat gain, energy consumption, and carbon emissions, underscoring the need for context-sensitive, sustainable architectural solutions.
Sustainable and climate-responsive architectural design
Vernacular architecture and indigenous building knowledge
Student-centric pedagogies and innovation in design education
Interdisciplinary approaches to architecture and design
Circular economy in construction
Precast and prefabricated construction technologies
Project management and digital transformation in the built environment
Resource efficiency, life-cycle thinking, and resilient built environments
Research Interests
Sustainable and climate-responsive architecture
Vernacular architecture and contextual design
Circular economy
Precast and prefabricated construction systems
Design innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration
Student-centred pedagogy and design education
Project management in the built environment
Digital technologies for sustainable construction
Secured First Rank (University First) in the M.Arch. (Project Management) programme at the University of Mumbai (2024).
Shalini Shrimali
Associate Professor
M.Arch in Project Management , Pursuin PhD from Nirma University,AhmedabadSchool of Design and Innovation
-
shalinis@rvu.edu.in -
Bengaluru
Academics
Admissions
Faculty
Enquire