Green building norms in phases

Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd spearheading the cause.

With the awareness on conserving resources growing, 'green buildings' or buildings that save on resources like power and water, and are made of materials that leave a smaller carbon footprint are growing in popularity.

"The concept is being promoted only in bits and pieces, and not being thrust upon anyone," said B Shivalingaiah, Managing Director, Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd (KREDL). KREDL is an organisation devoted to promoting non-conventional energy sources.

First it promoted the use of solar water heater, now it promotes the use of CFL bulbs in existing and new buildings too, he added, speaking of the efforts to promote energy-efficient buildings.

Gradually, the building code will have it mandatory for all to go in for green buildings.

KREDL advises the state government on policies to be adopted for ensuring a systematic and balanced growth of projects for harnessing renewable energy sources. The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) that was launched in the middle of this year may be a start.

The energy consumption in India is about 3 per cent of the world's total. The demand for electricity in the country has been growing at an average rate of 7-8 per cent.

It is reported that the total energy consumption in Indian buildings in the commercial sector: 21.6 billion Kwh (32 per cent for air-conditioners, 60 per cent for lighting, 8 per cent for others); residential sector: 36 billion Kwh (35 per cent for lighting, 29 per cent for fans, 7 per cent for coolers, 14 per cent for refrigeration, 4 per cent for air-conditioners, 11 per cent for others).

In the south, Chennai has taken to the green buildings most enthusiastically, perhaps because of water scarcity. Bangalore, on the other hand, may have missed the chance of having a good number of green buildings.

The use of western style of constructing buildings has made them less energy-efficient with need for lot of artificial lighting and air conditioners, said Shivalingaiah.

There are efforts to increase the 'green' credibility of many a structure in the country today. Former President A P J Abdul Kalam saw the Rashtrapati Bhavan undergoing an energy audit and consequently measures were taken to cut energy consumption by over 20 per cent.

The ECBC norms, though, are yet to catch the fancy of most builders. "But," says Jagdeep Singh, global sales head of Desiccant Rotors International (DRI), "the benefit accruing from occupying such a building will draw more people to such properties in future."

DRI manufactures indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy-saving equipment for green buildings, both for residential and commercial purposes. DRI hopes to have revenues of Rs 90 crore this fiscal.

An interesting development is that of rating buildings as being 'green' or not and also rating them such as platinum or gold, depending on how green they are.

The developers have to take into account the returns accrued over time. "There will be 1,000 green buildings in India by 2010," estimates Singh.