News - NZEB

A report by the New Buildings Institute shows the overlap between LEED certification and zero energy

Green building rating systems such as LEED have become stringent over time pushing the building sector towards better performance. LEED v4 encourages aggressive reductions in energy usage, with points awarded proportionally with higher levels of improvement from the baseline. For example, a new construction project that demonstrates a 50% reduction in energy usage from the baseline has the opportunity to earn a total of 18 points. Read more to understand how LEED supports zero energy goals.

Montreal Protocol extended to global warming HFC gases

Montreal Protocol was amended to completely phase out HFCs by 2047. This can prevent global temperature rise by 0.5 ºC. HFCs do not deplete the ozone layer but can cause greater global warming than carbon dioxide. Targets for reducing HFC use is different for developed and developing countries. Developed countries like US have committed to reducing HFC use to 85% of 2011 levels. Baseline year for India and few other developing nations like Iran, Pakistan is 2024, while the reduction target of 85% and milestone year of 2047 remain the same. More than 190 countries gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, in October 2016 to sign the amendment during the 28^th Meeting of Parties to Montreal Protocol.

Environmental Audits for Delhi Government Buildings

National Green Tribunal has directed Delhi Development Authority to conduct environmental audits in all government buildings in Delhi as a measure to against rising air pollution checks in Delhi. The audits will include solid waste collection and disposal, sewage and indoor air quality systems. NGT has also specified that guidelines to curb pollution emitted from government buildings shall be issued by Central Pollution Control Board and Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) shortly.

Green Buildings Exhibition at China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF) 2016

Theme of the Green Building Exhibition, held from 16^th to 21^st November, was “Green Homes”. Several units with green technologies and materials were installed for demonstration. Other manufacturers of building envelopes, HVAC, thermal insulation, smart building controls technologies, participated in the Green Buildings Exhibition at the 18^th CHTF.

IGBC to introduce Net Zero Energy Building Certification in India

IGBC is expected to launch a net zero energy certification by mid-2017. IGBC also plans to promote demonstration NZEBs to prove their business case and is likely to work closely with Government of India to mainstream NZEBs in the country. This certification program by IGBC is designed to achieve World Green Building Council’s vision of reducing GHG emissions from buildings to zero by converting new and existing global building stock into net zero energy buildings.

IGBC certifies Gangadevipally as a platinum green village

Indian Green Building Council has decided to certify Gangadevipally, in Warangal district, as a 100% green village. The rural community boasts of green initiatives like purified drinking water, solar power plants for street lighting, composting pits, separate storm water and drainage water systems. Gangadevipally also has a segregated waste management system.

Paryavas Bhawan – Chattisgarh’s Newest Green Building

Paryavas Bhawan, the new office building for Raipur Development Authority, Chhattisgarh State Housing Board and state environment protection board has been certified five star by GRIHA. Paryavas Bhawan has a rain water harvesting system and 200 kW on site solar power plant. Read more

BEEP Energy Efficient Guidelines for Buildings in Karnataka

Karnataka government has adopted guidelines for energy efficient and thermally comfortable public buildings developed in collaboration with the Indo-Swiss Building Energy Efficiency Project (BEEP). These are expected to assist the state in managing its electricity deficit which has continued to grow despite increase in installed power generation capacity. The BEEP guidelines have resulted from an extensive partnership between the BEEP and state PWD in designing and constructing ECBC compliant buildings. The guidelines take into account different climatic conditions across the state. Read more

President Mukherjee lays foundation stone of Nalanda University, a PACE-D NZEB Pilot

President Pranab Mukherjee laid the foundation stone for the campus of Nalanda University in Rajgir, Bihar, on 27th August 2016. He also presided over the convocation ceremony of the university and conferred post-graduation degrees on the university’s first batch of graduating students.

Nalanda University is a Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) Pilot project of USAID’s PACE-D TA Program. Once completed, it will be the first net zero energy, net zero emissions, net zero water, and net zero waste educational campus in the country. PACE-D team is providing technical assistance to achieve the sustainability goals established by the university. Sustainability measures proposed for the university are showcased on the NZEB Knowledge Portal, another PACE-D initiative.

Nalanda University is a truly international collaboration, with 17 East Asian countries contributing to its development. The university has extensive knowledge exchange programs with academic institutions in these countries as well.

Odisha launches 1st grid connected solar rooftop project

Odisha has started India’s first grid connected solar rooftop project. Green Energy Development Corporation of Odisha Limited (GEDCOL) and the Central Electricity Supply Utility (CESU), in partnership with Azure Power, will be implement the program across 100 government buildings in Bhubaneshwar and Cuttack. Investment for the project has been sourced from private sector and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. International Finance Corporation and European Union (through EU-India Cooperation on Clean Technologies and Energy Efficiency for Eco-Cities) have assisted GEDCOL in program design.

Patna commits to 30 MW rooftop solar

Prominent institutions in Patna have committed nearly 45 lakh square feet of their rooftop space for solar power generation under an initiative launched by Centre for Environment and Energy Development. This space will be adequate for installing about 30 MW capacity of solar PV systems. In response to a drive by. The campaign to popularize solar rooftop systems has garnered support from several prominent citizens of the city including Anand Kumar (Super 30), Bijender Prasad (Bihar energy minister) and institutions like Khuda Baksh Library and Gandhi Sanghrahalya.

SECI publishes draft scheme for rooftop solar PV on government buildings

Solar Energy Corporation of India has published the draft grid connected rooftop solar PV scheme for government buildings. 1 GW capacity of solar PVs will be installed under the scheme. Both CAPEX and RESCO models will be available under the scheme. List of eligible government buildings will be provided by SECI. No single bidder will be allocated more than 40% of the state’s total capacity.

The draft scheme can be accessed at