Making buildings conserve energy
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The Energy Conservation Building Code will become mandatory by 2011. K.A. MARTIN says its provisions will be implemented in a phased manner.
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Green code: The Energy Conservation Building Code 2007 released by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency.
The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) is set to become mandatory by 2011 and the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), a statutory body under the Union Ministry of Power, is learnt to have the code translated into action in a phased manner.
It means that by 2011, all buildings having an area of 10,000 sq.ft or more will have to adhere to the measures prescribed by the code as a matter of law, just as the National Building Code is adhered to now.
Implementing the new prescriptions in a phased manner will help the planners and builders imbibe the spirit of the ECBC and avoid confusion.
When it comes into force, the code will be the first such effort in the country that faces a big gap between energy production and requirement.
The code has prescriptions on the use of electrical power, building envelopes, provisions for cooling and heating and lighting of the interior and exterior.
It will not be entirely new to the building community in the country, says B.R. Ajit, architect. The National Building Code incorporates about 50 per cent of the provisions in ECBC already, he says.
Mr. Ajit is among the experts chosen from all over India by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency.
As part of the efforts being made by the community of planners and architects in Kerala, there is a move to seek the State government’s help in encouraging people to save energy even before the code comes into force.
Energy planners have pointed out that saving a unit of power is better than generating an additional unit. While production of 1 MW of power costs between Rs.6-8 crore, saving a MW will cost much lower.
With this fact in mind, the Green Building Council, Kerala, and the Energy Management Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, have decided to launch jointly an energy auditing programme in the State to cover apartments, hospitality industry buildings, hospitals, malls and office complexes.
The Green Building Council has sought the help of government departments in its efforts to evolve a rating system for buildings in Kerala.
Mr. Ajit says that the Green Building Council is in talks with the Kerala State Electricity Board to see if the board can provide incentives to energy-savers through discounts in electricity bill in a manner that does not harm the interests of the board.
He says that there will be an annual evaluation of the efforts and that the biggest savers will be given substantial prizes in the five categories that have been identified for the first such energy conservation effort in Kerala.
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