Buildings Alone Responsible for 40% of Energy Use by Mr. Nand Kumar, ACC Ltd

India's construction industry, one of the largest contributors to the Indian economy, is also contributing to the degradation of the environment.This industry has led business leaders, government officials & non-governmental organisations address to one intrinsic question Why energy efficiency should be an integral part of architecture, engineering & construction process

Buildings, alone, are responsible for minimum 40 per cent of energy use in most countries. The absolute figure is rising fast, as construction booms, especially in countries such as China, India &  Southern Mediterranean countries.

For these countries, the expected development of the building sector & higher standards of living, directly connected with the consumption of the residential sector, are the main reasons for this consumption upsurge.

New Buildings Use More Energy.!

The household sector is the single largest consumer of energy in India, accounting for 40 to 50% of the total energy consumption in India. In rural areas,the residential (domestic sector) accounts for about 80% of the consumption of energy. The resulting carbon emissions are substantially more than those in the transportation sector.

New buildings that will use more energy than necessary are being built every day, and millions of today's inefficient buildings will remain standing by 2050. Urbanisation and economic growth in India point out to the rapid growth of new building stock. In India, taking into account sustainable building considerations at the time of design & construction makes good economic sense.

However, the green construction & energy efficiency is limited within the boundaries of new construction. A significant chunk of existing buildings in India still continue to largely contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, a major cause of concern for India.

Can old existing buildings be energy efficient at all The answer is yes. Green retrofitting of old buildings is one such solution to answer the energy efficiency queries. It carries higher costs at a later stage invariably, both financially & environmentally than integrating sustainability

Design & Construction..!

Considerations already at the early stages of design & construction. But it rationalises the cost of retrofitting in the long run with lesser energy &  water consumption bundled with the satisfaction alone of not being environment polluters.

In the year 2008, Mumbai had 30 registered green projects &  was leading the green building movement in India. Today, the country has seen a spurt in the number of construction projects compete for the green tag.

Now, there are about 1,700 green buildings in our country India, out of which 267 green building projects are certified and fully functional in India. These include offices, factories, hospitals, hotels, IT parks, airports, banks, residential spaces, SEZs &  townships among others etc..!.

Electricity  Consumed..!

Energy consumption in Indian buildings is expected to increase substantially due to economic growth, construction growth & human development. It is estimated that in a typical residential building, about 28 per cent of the total electricity is consumed for lighting, 45 per cent for air conditioning, 13 per cent  for refrigeration, 4 per cent for televisions & 10 per cent  for other appliances in the urban sector.

By the year 2025, buildings will be the single largest energy consumers & emitters of greenhouse gasses on our planet. Therefore,it has become increasingly necessary to make appropriate efforts to bring down carbon emissions from the building sector.

Energy efficiency of new buildings determines the energy consumption for far longer than in other end-use sectors.

Unfortunately, projects &  legislations are based on short payback times on a few years. Energy issue buildings should be evaluated over life time of the building or /  at least over 30 years.

Since buildings are typically renovated many times (In case of residential, every 30 to 40 years), renovation offers a special opportunity for improvements of energy efficiency. But it has to be done right in the first place! By construction!

The role of public policy &  leadership by example is vital in triggering the greening of the building sector. Considering, in particular, the hidden costs & market failures that characterise the building industry, regulatory & control measures are likely to be the most effective &  cost-efficient in bringing about a green transformation of the sector.

Typical Residential Building : Electricity Consumed..!*

Lighting  28%

Air Conditioning  45%

Refrigeration 13 %

Televisions 4%

Other Appliances 10%

(* In the urban sector).

These need to be combined with other pricing instruments for greater impact, considering realities such as the level of development of the local market & household incomelevels.

Additionally, government owned buildings like public schools, hospitals,  and social housing units are ideal locations to begin implementing greener building policies, including green public procurement. At the same time, the role of progressive private sector actors organised for example through Green Building Councils can drive the transition to lower carbon & more resource efficient buildings.

About the author..!

The author, Mr. Nand Kumar is Head of Corporate Communications, ACC

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