New Initiatives in Building Energy Efficiency 2021
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Climate change
In news Minister for Power and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy inaugurated “Aiming for Sustainable Habitat: New Initiatives in Building Energy Efficiency 2021”
Significance of the inauguration
Building sector is the second largest consumer of electricity after industry but it is expected to become the largest energy consuming sector by 2030.
Realizing its importance, the Government of India is focusing on improving energy efficiency across residential as well as commercial building establishments.
These initiatives will help enhance the energy-efficiency levels in residential buildings thereby leading to sustainable habitation.
With future-driven initiatives like smart home ecosystems, optimizing energy-efficiency in any given structure will surely be the need in the coming years.
More energy-efficiency means less energy consumption in household and reduced carbon emissions.
The initiatives launched included:
Specifying code compliance approaches and minimum energy performance requirements for building services, and verification framework with Eco Niwas Samhita 2021.
The web-based platform ‘The Handbook of Replicable Designs for Energy Efficient Residential Buildings’ as a learning tool, which can be used to create a pool of ready-to-use resources of replicable designs to construct energy-efficient homes in India.
Creating an Online Directory of Building Materials that would envisage the process of establishing Standards for energy efficient building materials.
Announcement of NEERMAN Awards, (National Energy Efficiency Roadmap for Movement towards Affordable & Natural Habitat), with the goal of encouraging exceptionally efficient building designs complying with BEE’s Energy Conservation Building Codes.
Online Star Rating tool for Energy Efficient Homes created to improve energy-efficiency and reduce energy consumption in individual homes.
Training of over 15,000 Architects, Engineers and Government officials on Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) 2017 and Eco Niwas Samhita (ENS) 2021.
What is BEE?
The Government of India has set up the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) on 1st March 2002 under the provision of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
Mission: To assist in developing policies and strategies with a thrust on self-regulation and market principles
Primary objective: Reducing energy intensity of the Indian economy within the overall framework of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
This will be achieved with active participation of all stakeholders, resulting in accelerated and sustained adoption of energy efficiency in all sectors.
