New Delhi, Feb 26 (IANS): The realty sector can no longer turn a blind eye to sustainable and climate-conscious practices and must take more assertive steps for adoption of green building practices, Tara Subramaniam, President of National Real Estate Development Counil's (NAREDCO) women wing MAHI, said on Friday.

The real estate sector contributes 20 per cent of greenhouse gases.

Subramaniam made the remarks at the first-ever women-focused realty convention held in New Delhi.

She added that women in the real estate sector should think of modern and progressive ways for driving further growth in the sector.

The NAREDCO's women wing was established to empower women entrepreneurs and to further encourage participation of women in the real estate sector and make the space more inclusive.

D. Thara, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, stressed on the need for women to bring about different and new dimensions into property development and architecture, the Council said in a statement.

Thara urged women to break traditions and create new opportunities.

"It should be looked upon as to how we can break the way the labour market operates. Why cannot a woman be a good mason? If a woman is made a sub-contractor, it would make women workers from rural areas feel much safer," the Council added in the statement quoting the Additional Secretary.

NAREDCO is an autonomous self-regulatory body under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.