Net-zero buildings

Subject: Economy

Section: Climate Change

Context: Net-zero buildings in India witness a rise but lack government guidelines, regulations

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In the last few years, several buildings in India have become net-zero energy buildings by offsetting their total annual energy requirement with renewable energy and by increasing their energy efficiency.
The Indian federal government currently has its Model Building Bye-Laws, Energy Conservation Building Code which promotes increased usage of clean energy in building design but broader norms and regulations on this are still lacking.
The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) started voluntary ratings of net-zero buildings in 2018, where energy-efficient building design and climate-responsive designs were also given weightage, besides the use of renewables.

Concept:

Net zero energy buildings

Net zero energy buildings refer to such buildings which are producing the same amount of non-fossil fuel energy that they consume from the grid annually.
However private rating agencies have stricter norms for net-zero buildings where energy efficiency designs are also taken into account.
There is no clear definition of net-zero buildings in India from the government side. But usually in the building ecosystem, in general terms, net-zero refers to net-zero energy buildings where the total amount of energy required in the building is compensated by the total amount of electricity produced by renewable sources of energy.

Norms for net-zero energy buildings

Energy Conservation Building Code 2017

Released by Ministry of Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines
It prescribes new energy performance standards for new commercial buildings to be constructed across India.
The code provides present as well as futuristic advancements in building technology to cut down building energy consumption and promote low-carbon growth.
The code sets clear criteria for builders, designers and architects to integrate renewable energy sources in building design through the inclusion of passive design strategies.
ECBC 2017 aims to optimise energy savings with the comfort levels for occupants. The code aims to achieve energy neutrality in commercial buildings.
To be ECBC-compliant, the new buildings should be able to demonstrate minimum energy savings of 25%. Energy savings of 35% and 50% will enable the buildings to achieve higher grades like ECBC Plus or Super ECBC status respectively.

Shunya scheme

Ministry of Power in 2021 also started rating net-zero buildings with its Shunya scheme where the BEE gives certification of net-zero buildings.
This is given if the buildings can offset their building energy requirements with renewable energy.
Buildings producing renewable energy equivalent to their total consumption get a Shunya (net-zero) label whereas those producing more renewable energy than their connected load get a Shunya Plus rating from BEE.
The documents of BEE certification for net-zero do not account for energy efficiency while granting net-zero rating certifications.

Indian Green Building Council

The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), a part of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) which was earlier known for rating Green Buildings in the country, started rating “net zero” buildings in 2018.
The IGBC rating, which is intent oriented and voluntary in nature, rates net zero buildings based on their usage of renewable energy, energy efficiency, passive design strategies, and thermal comfort (comfortable room temperature).
It gives merely 25 percent weightage to the use of renewable energy and focuses more on energy-efficient designs and other architectural parameters.