Centre for Green Buildings Launched

The Energy and Resources Institute and United Technologies Corporation have launched the Centre of Excellence for Energy Efficient Buildings in India, at a time the government is working towards finalizing the blueprint for 100 smart cities. The Centre will work towards development of an energy use reporting framework for existing buildings, evaluation of the existing building energy rating system, derivation of tool and techniques for energy management and real time reporting of consumption, among others. 

Green buildings in Delhi likely to get more FARs

Green buildings help you reduce the electricity bill, save water and make your living space comfortable but now there is another incentive. Following a recent announcement by the lieutenant governor, green structures in the capital may be allowed a larger floor area ratio (FAR) compared to conventional buildings. 

FAR is the ratio of a building's total floor area to the size of the land on which it is built. In Delhi, it varies according to the size of the plot. 

"The LG has asked all agencies to convert maximum buildings into eco-friendly structures as green buildings are playing a significant role in minimizing the carbon footprint of cities. They require less energy both for cooling and heating. Increasing the FAR will be a good incentive for people to switch to eco-friendly buildings. This proposal will be added to Delhi Master Plan 2020," said Ranjan Mukherjee, the officer-on-special-duty (OSD) to lieutenant governor Tejendra Khanna. 
Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) has also recently recommended to the urban development ministry that the FAR for green buildings be increased by 1%. "Two important features of our recent recommendations are that FAR be increased and 15% roof area be allowed to use if builders use roof-top solar photo-voltaic panels. The green rating for integrated habitat assessment (GRIHA) has become almost obligatory now so it shouldn't be difficult to shift to green architecture," said DUAC chairman Raj Rewal. 

He has also suggested that three independent architects look into each project. While one of them will be the architect of the building, the others can check if all the building bylaws are being followed. If there is no slip-up, the project will be deemed approved, minimizing the time for clearance. 

In the West, too, these incentives have been used to promote green buildings. For instance, United States Green Building Council recommends reducing duration of the review and permitting process for verifiable green building projects. Many municipalities in the US also allow percentage increases in FAR if a building meets green standards. Some municipalities with height restrictions have provided height bonuses for green structures.

Assam Chief Minister promotes green building concept

The state government and The Energy Resources Institute (TERI) have entered into an agreement to promote green building concept in Assam under Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) through the use of sustainable building materials.

Addressing the three-day Griha Summit 2014 in New Delhi on Thursday, chief minister Tarun Gogoi emphasized the need for ensuring easy availability of cost-effective materials to replace the conventional ones. Gogoi inaugurated the summit.

"We have to find eco-friendly and cost-effective materials for construction of buildings, roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Knowledge is the key to invention of new technologies that are cost-effective and environment-friendly to mitigate the impacts of climate change," Gogoi said.

TERI director general RK Pachauri said an estimated 10 million square metres of GRIHA 5-Star certified projects could save enough electricity to power about 100,000 urban homes, enough water to meet the requirements of 22,000 urban families and facilitate installation of 6 Mega Watts of renewable energy. The GRIHA concept has been evolved by TERI and Association for Development and Research of Sustainable Habitats.

"We have to promote habitats which make use of resources efficiently and at the same time ensure comfort for the occupants at all times," Pachauri said. He added, "Wind, solar and bio-mass that are eco-friendly energy sources needed to be harnessed and made use of in a viable manner." The CM said impacts of climate change is being felt in the state too with vast swathes already been eroded due to floods and erosions.

CARBSE develops green detector for building material

In what could be a boon to the construction and building industry in the country, the Centre for Advanced Research in Building Science and Energy (CARBSE) at Cept Universityhas developed a 'U-Factor calculator' along with a unique database that will prove beneficial in selecting building material, help in analysis and building energy modelling.

U-Factor, in simple terms, means 'rate of heat transfer'. So, lower the U-factor, lesser the heat transfer through walls, roof and windows of any building. While many such stand-alone calculating tools are available, the database which Cept has generated is the first of its kind. "The database carries information regarding building materials found in India; something that existing database lack. Stats like thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and specific heat in context to 57 cities of India are listed in our database, making this tool unique," said a core team member of CARBSE.

The Cept energy lab, that has generated the India-relevant database being used by this tool, is known to be the only one in the country that does research work pertaining to 'building energy efficiency'.

The tool will be freely accessible online and provide ample help to architects, MEP consultants, Green Building consultants, students and researchers in their line of work. This project, that has been supported by ministry of new and renewable energy, the Government of India and Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, will also help in implementing 'Energy Conservation Building Code'.

Young ventures like Magicrete, Perlcon Premix riding the green building bandwagon

The rising trend of constructing green buildings and the scarcity of traditional materials have opened up a sizeable market for young ventures producing alternatives that are cost efficient and eco-friendly. These ventures offer solutions that range from masonry products that do not use cement or sand to online platforms that improve efficiency by linking builders with suppliers of construction materials. "Builders are now increasingly focusing on raising efficiency," said Sourabh Bansal, 29, cofounder of Magicrete, a manufacturer of autoclave aerated concrete blocks, which are nearly nine times larger than bricks but lighter. These blocks require lesser steel and concrete during construction. 

University of Kentucky unveils energy research building

The University of Kentucky (UK) has debuted its newest energy research building devoted to renewable energy and energy storage. The $20.8 million laboratory, funded primarily by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will enable UK to expand research devoted to the state’s growing renewable energy industries, including biomass and biofuels, electrochemical power sources, and distributed solar energy technologies. The 43,000-square-foot building is part of the UK Center for Applied Energy Research. 

Kentucky governor Steve Beshear says, “It makes good sense for all buildings not just those devoted to energy research to be as energy-efficient as possible. Smart energy usage in buildings saves money and resources. Most importantly, the people inside this building are performing critical work in advanced energy research. Their efforts will undoubtedly impact Kentucky’s future in energy innovation.”

The building is targeted to be LEED gold certified with energy usage 54 percent less than similar facilities. The University reports that the savings are accomplished by energy-saving features throughout the building, “including an exterior and roof with twice the amount of insulation normally used. Windows contain a nanogel material that diffuses sunlight and provides the same insulation as brick walls. Among other features are geothermal heating and cooling, occupancy sensors that turn off lights automatically when a space isn’t being used, and a ventilation system that recaptures energy.”

The facility was funded by $11.8 million in federal funds, with matching resources of $3.5 million provided by the Commonwealth of Kentucky and $1.9 million from UK. An additional award of $3.5 million was provided by the Department of Energy Development and Independence to achieve LEED certification and insure that the laboratory is a model for energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

This funding also enabled UK to develop a dry room designed for battery manufacturing and testing, an open-access biofuels research lab, and state-of-the-art solar research facilities. The entire second floor is devoted to research performed by UK Department of Chemistry Professor John Anthony’s group, whose work includes organic thin-film transistors (for flexible flat-panel displays), organic solar cells (for low-cost electricity generation) and organic light-emitting diodes (for high-efficiency lighting).

Energy Secretary Steven Chu adds: “Partnering with states and local communities to advance America’s clean energy economy is a critical part of delivering on President Obama’s all-of-the-above energy strategy. The Energy Department’s investments in the Center for Applied Energy Research are helping the University of Kentucky to pursue important innovations across a range of renewable energy and clean energy technologies, while at the same time saving the university money on their utility bills.”

Greece eyes jobs, growth impulse from solar energy export

A group led by Germany’s Fichtner GmbH & Co. KG was chosen as technical adviser for Greece’s 20- billion euro ($26.1 billion) Helios solar power project, according to the country’s committee on privatizations.

The other members of the venture are all from Greece; Kantor Management Consultants SA, the Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and the National Technical University of Athens, according to a statement from the committee posted on the Greek government’s ministerial decision website.

An Innovative buoyancy-driven air circulation system

The Mediated Learning Center at DeAnza College in Cupertino, Calif., is an exciting project for those who will occupy it as well as those who are designing and building it. When it’s complete this spring, the $35 million facility – which is targeting LEEDPlatinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council – will boast an innovative buoyancy-driven air circulation system that’s unusual even among “green” projects.

Instead of relying on a forced-air system to route air throughout the 66,900-square-foot building, the buoyancy-driven system relies on physical science, forces of nature and the heat generated by building occupants and electronics. It’s designed to ventilate more than 80 percent of the building without fan power and produce indoor air quality by supplying 100 percent outside air through six hourly air changes.

Here’s how it works: The system draws in outside air through tower-shaped intakes on the rooftop. As the air passes over cooling coils and the temperature decreases, it descends through the shafts into the under-floor air chambers serving the first and second floor. Heating coils warm the air as needed to meet occupant-preferred temperature settings and then supplies it through floor-based vents as part of the building’s energy-efficient under-floor air distribution system. As people and equipment warm the air throughout the day, the air and indoor air pollutants rise to ceiling exhaust shafts and move to the atrium. Sandwiched between classrooms and offices, the atrium – topped with a fritted, high-performance glass skylight – releases air to the outdoors through its clerestory louvers.

Not surprisingly, this system’s implementation requires a sophisticated level of coordination and commissioning throughout construction. Sundt and other members of the project team meet regularly to review how the system is being implemented and develop methods to track circulation and measure output.

With 42 green buildings, Chennai leads the pack

The state may be hobbled by a severe power shortage, but its capital is home to more green buildings than any other city in the country. Chennai is home to 42 of the 212 structures in India that are certified as eco-friendly by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).

Chennai is followed by Mumbai, with 29 green buildings, and the National Capital Region (28), among cities awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by IGBC. Hyderabad and Bangalore are tied in fourth place with 24 each and Kolkata is sixth with eight.

Tamil Nadu tops the states with 47 green buildings and 57 more have been registered for certification in 2011, a big increase over previous years. Sriperumbadur has three green buildings , Tirupur, two, and Madurai , Salem, Siruseri and Coimbatore have one each.

Among the green buildings in Chennai are the Turbo Energy office complex in RA Puram, Menon Eternity in Alwarpet and Shell Business Service Centre, all with platinum certification, the highest rating. Platinum is followed by gold, silver and certified ratings, based on sustainability, waste management , use of natural resources and indoor environmental quality.

Anna Centenary Library and the new Tamil Nadu assembly building are gold-rated as is Express Avenue Mall.

Viswa Syamalam, a house in Madipakkam, is one of only two individual homes in the country to have received a green rating . It was awarded platinum rating in 2009. The other green home is in Hyderabad.

"People in Chennai have been proactive about green buildings," says Sathiaram Ram, managing director of En3 Sustainability Solutions Pvt Ltd, a green building consultancy in Chennai. "The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is also promoting the concept."

What is a green building?

A green building is one that uses less water, is high on energy efficiency and sustainability, generates lesser waste, conserves more natural resources and has a better indoor environmental quality than a conventional building

Green Is Gold For State Builders

Tamil Nadu Developers Grab Business Opportunity As Eco Buildings Get Popular; Clients Save On Energy, Water Bills

Today's monoliths of concrete, glass and steel will soon be replaced by green, selfsufficient buildings and towns. Eco-friendly blueprints are off the drawing board, hauled onward by energy-saving rafters and photovoltaic louvres on gigantic cranes, as the cities of the future rise from the grime of urban sprawl.

While these new cities are taking shape in China, the United States and various European countries, builders in Tamil Nadu are getting into the act too, constructing ecologically sustainable buildings that generate their own power, stay cool with cornices covered with native plant species that require little water and save electricity with occupancy sensor-fitted lighting.

According to the Indian green building council (IGBC), there has been a sharp increase in the number of buildings in Chennai that have been awarded green certification over the past three years.

Chennai leads the country with 42 green buildings with leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) rating. Only 10 buildings in the city won the rating from 2004 to 2008, while 37 buildings received the rating between 2009 and 2011. Experts attribute this to rising ecological awareness as well as business opportunity: Green certification gives builders a new branding option.

"For a consumer, the green certificate is a third party validation, just like a college degree. They are ready to pay more for a green building," says Sathiaram Ram, managing director of En3 Sustainability Solutions Pvt Ltd, a green building consultancy in the city.

2,182 green houses to come up in Dindigul, Tamilnadu

A total of 2,182 houses will be constructed in the district under green house scheme this year, said Collector K. Nagarajan.

While inspecting green houses under construction in J. Pudhukottai in Athoor block here on Friday, he said that selection of beneficiaries was on.

Beneficiaries

List of beneficiaries identified by the panchayat were approved in gram sabhas only. Work order will be issued only after completing these formalities. Moreover, the beneficiaries should have land patta in their name, he added.

Fund

A total of 150 solar-powered green houses and 436 houses under Indira Memorial housing scheme in Athoor union, 215 green houses and 322 houses under Indira Memorial housing scheme in Batlgundu union will be constructed.

A sum of Rs.1.5 lakh will be given for construction of houses and Rs.30,000 for solar lighting facilities.

Construction of houses in all the unions in the district had commenced, he added.

Inspection

The Collector inspected houses that were being constructed in Iyyankottai and Mettur Colony and appealed to the rural people to utilise the benefits of the scheme fully.

Later, Mr. Nagarajan checked the condition of goats offered to the beneficiaries at Mettur Colony and advised them not to sell domestic animals. These were given to them to enhance their income and ensure sustainable income generation activities. He also inspected tree saplings grown at Chithayankottai bus stand, CSI teachers training institute campus and hostel. These plants were offered by the Forest Department in order to expand green cover.

Apartment Buildings Could Save Billions with Energy Efficiency Improvements

A new report shows that multifamily buildings analyst-speak for apartment buildings could save residents and owners both up to $3.4 billion across America if simple energy efficiency upgrades were made.

The report, Engaging as Partners in Energy Efficiency: Multifamily Housing and Utilities, was released late last week by CNT Energy and the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

The report demonstrates a saving of 15 to 30 percent in buildings with five or more residential units by making cost-effective upgrades that help reduce energy use. The key, the report explains, is getting energy utilities and apartment building owners to work together more closely to develop effective energy policies.

“We have billions essentially sitting untapped in our apartment buildings. 

We can harness that by simply setting better policies for efficiency for apartment buildings,” said Anne McKibbin, CNT Energy policy director and coauthor of the report. “Partnering with utilities is a crucial part of the process. Building owners and other housing industry players need to work with their utilities, engaging them directly and in local and state regulatory proceedings,” she said.

Findings from the report showed that energy efficiency upgrades not only improve the bottom line for apartment buildings, but also help maintain affordable housing for residents while increasing their comfort levels, and they decrease financial risk for lending institutions.

That being said, finding the technical assistance necessary, the financing, and the right qualified contractors is often difficult for building owners.

The report also drew out several regions where there are a large number of “multifamily buildings” where particularly dramatic benefits from improvements in energy efficiency policy could be seen: these include  Florida, Illinois, Texas, and the District of Columbia.

“Maximizing energy efficiency is a win-win for apartment residents, building owners, energy utilities and our energy infrastructure,” said Doug Bibby, President of the National Multi Housing Council. “This report offers excellent ideas that we hope spur further cooperation between multifamily owners and utilities to create a more efficient partnership.”

This report has been widely read and received, with Duane Larson, Director of the Energy Efficiency Strategy at Pacific Gas & Electric Company, stating that “we  are thrilled to explore partnerships with apartment owners as a way of better serving our customers and reaching our energy efficiency goals. This paper outlines some important next steps for collaboration.”

“Utilities and local regulations vary dramatically from state to state and region to region, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution,” says Eric Mackres, ACEEE senior policy analyst. “The common thread is that partnering with the utility is crucial. This report outlines a variety of strategies that can help the multifamily housing sector to engage electric and natural gas utilities in order to expand the resources available for energy efficiency retrofits.”