After commercial buildings, now the Government is in the process of bringing large residential complexes under the ambit of the proposed Energy Conservation Act 2001 amendments to integrate energy efficiency measures into such buildings and reduce energy consumption to address climate change threats.
In 2017, the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) was revised for new commercial buildings which sets minimum energy standards for commercial buildings having a connected load of 100kW or contract demand of 120 KVA and above.
“Large-sized residential complexes are now given an obligation to adopt energy efficiency techniques, constructions and interiors. Why residential buildings?
“Buildings consume around 31% of the electricity in the country and being the main source of energy consumption we have to see that all the new buildings especially the large residential buildings complexes are energy efficient,” Alok Kumar, Union Secretary Power Ministry said here.
He was addressing a ‘National Workshop on Energy Efficiency in the Indian Residential Sector’ organized in hybrid mode by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under the Union Ministry of Power recently, in collaboration with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) of the Swiss Confederation.
Kumar also deliberated about India’s performance on the front of its commitment to the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) made at the COP26 and highlighted that India has achieved some of them even before time.
“It is very essential that energy efficiency techniques and materials are used at the design and construction stage of buildings. This is all the more important as India is poised to urbanize very rapidly in one or two decades. More urbanization, more new buildings and we will see huge residential complexes coming up in all the old and new cities. Since 75 percent of energy demand comes from residential buildings, it is very important that they are eco-friendly,” he reasoned.
The official also lauded BEE for ensuring sufficient technical material and knowledge products are available to the public.
During the occasion, four knowledge products with support from Indo-Swiss Building Energy Efficiency Project (BEEP), a bilateral co-operation project between the Ministry of Power and the Swiss Government. It is being implemented by the BEE.
Aimed to facilitate energy efficiency measures in building sector, these knowledge products are a booklet on “Understanding heart transfer in buildings through numerical examples”, “Building envelope solution sets for Eco-Niwas Samhita 2018,” “Vayu Pravah—an openfoam software tool on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)” and manual on “external movable shading systems.”
To promote green buildings, the government has provided numerous initiatives like the Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA). This system restricts the use of resources by 30 percent as the ultimate goal. The government has also mandated for all central government and PSU buildings to get at least 3-star ratings under GRIHA, said Deputy Director General (BEE) Ashok Kumar.
“A sharp increase in energy consumption in buildings is being observed, particularly in countries with fast growing economies such as India. “With average temperatures rising globally, energy consumption and Co2 emissions are bound to increase, while buildings may fail to provide adequate thermal comfort. Therefore it is imperative to integrate energy efficiency measures into buildings,” said Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) head of Cooperation and Counsellor, Jonathan Demenge.
He pointed out that by adopting ambitious energy efficiency measures, Switzerland was able to reduce energy consumption in new buildings by 75 per cent. “SDC with Swiss and Indian partners are working to bring in this experience, co-develop knowledge and expertise and translate these into energy efficient building design, technologies and policies in India through the BEEP project,” said Demenge.
At the event, Architect Ashok B Lall, who has worked on several green buildings, suggested an “adaptive comfort” range of 19-32 degrees Celsius in the house, which allows little to no dependence on air conditioning or heaters. While it is easier for newer buildings to save on energy from the start, older buildings can also adapt quickly.
For instance, he said, “Windows facing the sun are a major source of heat being trapped inside a house. Any shade or the use of blinds can prevent that from happening. Similarly, if the temperature outside is high, warm air can be prevented from entering inside through airtight windows. Cracks or crevices allow the cooler air inside to escape, which puts additional load on ACs.”
He stressed on creating awareness among stakeholders about the need for green buildings for better health which has become all the more important in the Covid times. Dr Sameer Maithel, director at Greentech Knowledge Solutions, debunked the myth that building energy efficient building designs is a costly affair.
Adjustments in older buildings, which can be as basic as painting the roof with a reflective paint, can save thousands of rupees each month in electricity bills. “The use of external shades and roofs outside a window to prevent direct sunlight from entering the room is important. While insulating the roof is preferred, cheaper options include applying reflective paint, which reduces absorption of heat considerably. Hollow clay tiles can be paved on the roofs along with a layer of concrete to prevent sunlight from being absorbed,” said Maithel.
