Green Buildings are in news these days. At least all UPSC aspirants read about it in and out. A question can be expected on this in Pre and Mains every 2-3 years, so those of you planning to stick around, must prepare this topic well.
What is a green building?
Think about it. What does your office consume and produce – in terms of resources – pani, bijli, kachra, space
So a green building is one which consumes less energy, consumes less water, produces less waste , and recycles most of the waste so produce, to provide healthy living space to its occupants.
Why is it important?
There is a fight for energy everywhere. We have an installed capacity of 2,50,000 MW and estimate is that India will need 800 GW of energy by 2032. So basically there are two ways to ensure energy security:
#1 Produce More
#2 Save More
The Green Building concept is based on the Save more strategy. So we have a Green Building code that provides specifications and requirements for building that comply with the code. These building are said to be energy efficient, examples being the Tamil Nadu Assembly Building.
Who sets the standards?
Severla bodies actually. For you 3 are important.
1. The most sarkari is Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has given the ECBC – Energy Conservation Building Code . It is said the those following the ECBC = 40-60% less energy than regular buildings.
Two States – have made it mandatory – no, not Punjab and Tamil Nadu but Odisha & Rajasthan.
Few more things that you need to know:
- There is a star rating system – voluntary, that is based on Energy Performance Index of buildings – 4 kinds of buildings are actually provided.
- Hospitals
- Retail Malls
- Day Use Office
- IT/BPO – this will have longer hours.
2. Then there is the CII which has come up with Indian Green Building Council – IGBC that has come up with its own ratings and code. It has building in below category.
- Platinum
- Gold
- Silver
You can imagine that this one is backed by industry, hence big IT parks will easily get the certification and govt incentive. This will go in criticism. For example many state govts provide extra Floor space area to builders with above certification
3. Last one is the famous GRIHA Rating system by TERI – The famous The Energy and Resources Institute – the one headed by R K Pachauri – and the one which is always highlighted in Economic Survey year after year.
The Issues:
1. CSE headed by Sunita Narain says that the certification is given in planning and not on actual performance. This means though a building is designed as per standards set, but consumes too much bijli, pani and produces too much waste , that will also be considered a green building. That, dear candidate, is the problem.
2. Sunita Narain rues :
Because we found that many reputed companies that had been given platinum rating were actually energy and water guzzlers. Obviously, this is not easy for companies to accept. The CII has written on their behalf arguing that we have got our analysis wrong because we have mixed up the typologies for the buildings. So, they say, ITC Saharanpur is a factory building, which has been compared to an office building. But IGBC gives its rating only for the office operations of a “factory”.
Solution:
1. Better regulation.
2. Accepting the EPI set by BEE – or at least other certifying agencies can learn and use their index.
3. Promoting green buildings via incentives like early water and power connection – put as many points as you like here.
Sunita Narain say, finally in her report. This could go in your own conclusion to the answer :
The government needs to build a credible system of assurance, so that it can really push what is green, and not just what looks green from the outside but may be brown inside. It is time, as we say, to go beyond the green façade.
This would complete an answer – albeit in 643 words, so just use the above text to undertand the issue at hand.
