Govt unveils new norms for energy conservation

Power Minister Piyush Goyal launched the Energy Conservation Building Code 2017 (ECBC 2017) that prescribes the energy performance standards for new commercial buildings to be constructed across India.

Developed by Ministry of Power and Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), the updated version of ECBC provides current as well as futuristic advancements in building technology to further reduce building energy consumption and promote low-carbon growth. ECBC 2017 sets parameters for builders, designers and architects to integrate renewable energy sources in building design with the inclusion of passive design strategies. The code aims to optimise energy savings with the comfort levels for occupants, and prefers life-cycle cost effectiveness to achieve energy neutrality in commercial buildings.

In order for a building to be considered ECBC-compliant, it would need to demonstrate minimum energy savings of 25 per cent. Additional improvements in energy efficiency performance would enable the new buildings to achieve higher grades like ECBC Plus or Super ECBC status leading to further energy savings of 35 and 50 per cent, respectively.

With the adoption of ECBC 2017 for new commercial building construction throughout the country, it is estimated to achieve a 50 per cent reduction in energy use by 2030. According to the power ministry, this will translate to energy savings of about 300 billion units by 2030 and peak demand reduction of over 15 GW in a year. This will be equivalent to expenditure savings of ` 35,000 crore and 250 million tonnes of CO2 reduction.

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