R K Singh Inaugurates New Initiatives for Energy Efficiency in Building Sector

Union Minister for Power, R K Singh inaugurated ‘Aiming for Sustainable Habitat: New Initiatives in Building Energy Efficiency 2021’, which is a set of 6 new initiatives aimed at improving energy efficiency in the building sector.

• The new initiatives were launched virtually by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). It was inaugurated by R K Singh as part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ (Celebration of 75 years of India’s Independence).
• The new initiatives will help in enhancing energy-efficiency levels in residential buildings across India, which will lead to sustainable habitation.

Launched Initiatives

The initiatives which were launched are

i.Specifying code compliance approaches and minimum energy performance requirements for building services, and verification framework with Eco Niwas Samhita 2021.

ii.Web-based platform ‘The Handbook of Replicable Designs for Energy Efficient Residential Buildings’ – It will act as a learning tool to create a pool of ready-to-use resources of replicable designs to construct energy-efficient homes in India.

iii.Online Directory of Building Materials to help the process of establishing Standards for energy efficient building materials.

iv.Announcement of NEERMAN Awards (National Energy Efficiency Roadmap for Movement towards Affordable & Natural Habitat) to encourage exceptionally efficient building designs which comply with BEE’s Energy Conservation Building Codes.

v.Online Star Rating Tool for Energy Efficient Homes created to improve energy-efficiency and reduce energy consumption in individual homes. It provides performance analysis to help professionals decide the best option to pick for energy-efficiency of their homes.

vi.Training of over 15,000 Architects, Engineers and Government officials on Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) 2017 and Eco Niwas Samhita (ENS) 2021.

Building sector –  Energy Demand

Building sector is the 2nd largest consumer of electricity after the industry sector. It is expected to become the largest energy consuming sector by 2030.

• The government is taking various steps to improve energy efficiency in residential as well as commercial building establishments.

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)

i.BEE was established on March 1, 2002 under the provision of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.

ii.The main objective of BEE is to reduce energy intensity of the Indian economy within the overall framework of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.

9th Integrated Ratings for State Power Distribution Utilities

R K Singh released the 9th Integrated Ratings for State Power Distribution Utilities. It covers 41 State Power Distribution Utilities (spread across 22 states) for the rating period FY 2019-20.

•   The Integrated Rating exercise has been released annually since 2012, it is based on the methodology approved by the Ministry of Power.
•   The designated credit rating agencies are ICRA Ratings & CARE Ratings (Credit Analysis & Research Ltd).
• The report will help in assessing the condition of Indian Power Sector, this will help the distribution sector to assess and improve its performance.

Recent Related News:

i.May 25, 2021, The Ministry of Power is set to establish a National Mission on the use of Biomass in coal-based Thermal Power Plants.

ii.December 17, 2020 – According to the 2020 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction released by GlobalABC, the Building & Construction sector accounted for 38% of CO2 emissions, and the CO2 emission increased to 9.95 GtCO2 (gigatonnes of carbon dioxide) in 2019.

About Ministry of Power

Union Minister – R K Singh (Arrah, Bihar)
Minister of State – Krishan Pal (Faridabad, Haryana)

About Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)

Director General – Abhay Bakre
Headquarters – New Delhi