Energy Efficient Buildings On The Rise, Go Green To Save Money

There are two interlinked factors that led to the high-energy use by buildings. The first factor is the increased amount of air conditioning and the second is the high penetration of heat coming from outside into the building, which ultimately leads to a demand for more air conditioning. The factors signal a matter of concern on how to construct and design our building to lessen the external heat. 

The envelope of a building separates the interior and exterior environment of a building. It works as an outer shell to help maintain the internal atmosphere and smoothen the climate control. But, sadly in India, building envelopes have been largely ignored. A little more focus on these functions can develop a great building structure in India. 

It is estimated that over the next few decades the building sector will witness an unprecedented growth. The fast-paced growth of building stock will result in huge demand for energy in the coming future. Currently, new commercial buildings consume over 200 kwh/sqm annually, but the most energy efficient buildings – in India itself – consume less than 100 kwh/sqm in a year. Therefore, there is a large possibility of introducing energy efficiency involvements. We need to realise the crucial fact and understand the usage of energy efficient building before it gets too late.

The introduction of Energy Conservation Building Codes (ECBC) by the government in 2007 is a concrete step to minimise the energy consumption in the commercial buildings. States like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and the Union Territory of Puducherry have notified the code. 

Once a building (commercial) has been constructed, it gets difficult for any kind of reconstruction. They are 'lock-in' for certain period, at least for about 40-50 years. The same thing applies in residential buildings as well. If the energy efficient procedures are not take in the initial or construction stage then retrofitting them at the end stage is not economically feasible. 

Also read: Forget Air Conditioners, Save Money With These Green Homes

There is a long-term benefit in installing energy efficiency methods in building envelopes. Let's see the major benefits of adopting these-

• Cost saving
• Minimises the use of air conditioning 
• Makes you breathe in cleaner air
• Balances the interior and exterior climate
• Energy saved by building envelopes can be used for alternative energy resources

In the past, there has been a constant progress in energy efficient building measures. The number of energy efficient buildings also witnessed a growth through various measures. These measures include better building design, inclusion of onsite energy generation and net energy metering. These measures reduce the level of energy by 50 per cent and leads to a cleaner environment. 

Also read: Lessons India Can Take From Others In Its Pursuit To Turn Smart

Earlier, buildings were naturally designed, incorporating climate-responsive architecture. High ceilings and large thermal mass walls can be seen in the past building constructions. But today, due to the compact constructions, these features seem unrealistic. Thus, applying these energy efficient building measures becomes essential to provide greener and economical buildings.