VIJAYAWADA: In tune with India’s commitment to climate action at the COP26 to become net zero by 2070, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has suggested that all the State governments implement energy efficiency measures in the building sector to reduce substantial energy consumption along with greenhouse gas emissions and improve living standards of people.
The BEE is organising an international conference on Augmenting Nature by Green Affordable New-Habitat (ANGAN) with the theme ‘Making the Zero-Carbon Transition in Buildings’ in New Delhi from September 14 to 16 and invited all the State governments to discuss expediting the efforts towards Net Zero Energy and Low Carbon Buildings and develop a discussion paper.
During an online meeting with all the State Designated Agencies in the context of the international conference ANGAN-2022, BEE Director General Abhay Bakre, along with Director Saurabh Diddi, said the Andhra Pradesh government is giving high priority to energy efficiency in the building sector and issued a GO mandating to follow the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) 2017.
Due to increasing urbanisation, the number and size of buildings in urban areas will increase, resulting in an increased demand for electricity and other forms of energy commonly used in buildings. The construction sector in India is accounting for around 44% of all material demand. Buildings are also the second-largest consumer of electricity (33% in 2017), the BEE Director General said.
While thanking the BEE for inviting Andhra Pradesh to the international conference ANGAN, Special Chief Secretary for Energy K Vijayanand said apart from strengthening the implementation of ECBC in the State to tap the energy-saving potential in commercial buildings, the government is planning to adopt the Eco-Niwas Samhita code in residential buildings.
Accordingly, the Andhra Pradesh Specific Draft ENS has been prepared based on the ENS code of BEE. The same will be submitted to the technical committee for comments and approval very soon, he added.