ECBC to be mandatory in two years

New Delhi, June 8 (UNI) The Government will make the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) for the construction sector mandatory within the next two years to increase the energy efficiency of new buildings.

''The ECBC code is under implementation on an experimental basis in 80 commercial buildings pan-India,'' Director General, Bureau of Energy Efficiency Ajay Mathur told reporters here today and added that Delhi, Haryana and Kerala are more proactive than other states in implementing the code.

He further said it will be made mandatory after increasing awareness and also creating the required capacity addition. In addition, provisions of penalty is also there in the code if anyone is found not complying with it.

''In Pune, reduction in property tax is being provided if building is found compliant to the code,'' Dr Mathur said.

A certification organisation is required for the purpose and small working groups in the industry will be created to create awareness in this direction.

''Hoards of data centres is to be located in India in the coming years which will require 20,000 MW of energy by 2015. In an attempt to develop energy efficient data centres, there is a need for a subsidy code and guidance for architectures when they design these centres,'' IBM Vice President (Site and facilities) Steven Sama said on this occasion.

The government has launched the ECBC in pursuance with the energy Conservation Act of 2001, which empowers the Centre to prescribe ECBC for commercial buildings and building complexes.

The code prescribes minimum energy performance standards for commercial buildings and is expected to yield annual savings of 1.7 billion units of power in the first year of implementation.

With the implementation of the norms, the government expects to reduce the energy use for new buildings between 25-40 per cent, which in turn can save the nation as much as Rs 80,000 crore.

Applicable to all buildings with a peak demand of 500 kilowatts or more, ECBC's aim is to maintain the 'U-value', which is the measure of thermal conductivity of a material.

UNI