VIJAYAWADA: The concerted efforts of the State government in energy efficiency and conservation have helped it to bag another special project. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has provided financial support to the Andhra Pradesh State Energy Conservation Mission (APSECM), State Designated Agency under the Energy department for the construction of a model super ECBC (Energy Conservation Building Code) building in Visakhapatnam.
Super ECBC is 30 to 40 per cent more efficient than that of ECBC-compliant buildings. These buildings with the addition of renewable energy on-site can easily become “Net Zero Energy Building.” The ECBC buildings consume 25 per cent less energy, while the super ECBC buildings consume 50 per cent less energy.
Keeping in view the substantial increase of energy demand by around 7 per cent every year covering all the sectors in the State, it is estimated that the building sector accounts for a major portion in the increase of energy demand and has considerable saving potential that results in the reduction of energy cost as well as greenhouse gas emissions.
Recognising the State’s initiatives and commitment in the promotion of energy efficiency, the BEE has selected Andhra Pradesh along with few other States in the country for the demonstration of super ECBC buildings, which can showcase the performance and cost-benefit of such buildings.
“The State will construct the super ECBC building in Visakhapatnam with all state-of-art technologies, which will become the ideal model demonstration building in order to showcase the advantages of energy-efficient buildings to the entire nation,” said special chief secretary energy K Vijayanand. While reviewing the energy efficiency activities of the building sector with APSECM officials, he thanked BEE for its unstinted support to the State for enhancing energy efficiency, which helped the State in saving energy to the tune of around 5,600 Million Units(MU) worth `3,800 crore.
“In view of the forthcoming G-20 Summit Working Group Committee meeting in March-2023 at Vizag, the decision of BEE to support Andhra Pradesh in the construction of the Super ECBC building will hold a greater significance”, Vijayanand said.
He also requested Visakhapatnam Municipal Commissioner P Raja Babu to issue building plan approval to APEPDCL for the construction of a Training Institute building with G+1 floors in compliance with super ECBC-2017 norms. Special CS further said that Andhra Pradesh has adopted the ECBC-2017 code and included it in building by-laws and incorporated ECBC compliance in the online development permission management system (DPMS).
“AP is the only State in the country that has issued a G.O.Rt.89 for setting up energy conservation cells in all government departments. Around 701 commercial buildings got ECBC compliance as per data available with DTCP, MAUD department since the adoption of the ECBC code in the State.”CMD APEPDCL K Santosha Rao said the super ECBC building in Visakhapatnam is expected to be completed within 9 months.