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Net Zero Energy Buildings, a Requisite to Built Environment

In an environmentally stressed world, green buildings are moving towards specialised focus constituting Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) and high performance buildings. Buildings are perhaps the single greatest stress on the environment, accounting for the world's fresh water withdrawals, one-quarter of its wood harvest, and two fifths of its material and energy flows. In such a scenario of shortages of clean water and other materials, and the possibility of devastating climate change, the greening of buildings constitutes a collective vital. Given the political difficulties of obtaining energy, and likely future shortages of conventional energy sources, we cannot ignore the enormous conservation that green buildings make possible. And buildings with natural materials and lighting also create a happier, healthier, more productive atmosphere.

In this script of context, the Central Government’s Indira Paryavaran Bhavan in Delhi has become India’s first net zero energy building and it clearly shows a positive sign towards conserving energy and other natural resources. This building has been constructed with adoption of solar passive design and energy-efficient building materials. However it was functional since a year. It was aimed at reinforcing the need for more such building in the country. Ms. Mili Majumdar, director of the The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and the Association for Development and Research of Sustainable Habitats has acknowledged Indira Paryavaran Bhavan that it is one of the exemplary projects to be rated under Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA).

The building boasts an earthquake-resistant structure with a total plinth area of 31,488 sq. m. It covers only 30 per cent of the total area, while more than 50 per cent area outside the building is a soft area with plantation and grass. The building has a robotic parking system in the basement that can accommodate 330 cars. Thin-client networking system has been provided instead of conventional desktop computers to minimise energy consumption.

The building has received GRIHA 5-star (provisional) rating for the features including:

• The design allows for 75 per cent of natural daylight to be utilised to reduce energy consumption.
• The entire building has an access friendly design for differently-abled persons.

With an installed capacity of 930 kW peak power, the building has the largest rooftop solar system among multi-storied buildings in India. The building is fully compliant with requirements of the Energy Conservation Building Code of India (ECBC). Total energy savings of about 40% have been achieved through the adoption of energy efficient chilled beam system of air-conditioning. As per this, air-conditioning is done by convection currents rather than airflow through air handling units, and chilled water is circulated right up to the diffuser points unlike the conventional systems. Green materials like fly ash bricks, regional building materials, materials with high recyclable content, high reflectance terrace tiles and rock wool insulation of outer walls have been used.  Renewable bamboo jute composite material has been used for doorframes and shutters and the building has UPVC windows with hermetically sealed double glass. Calcium Silicate ceiling tiles are laid that have high recyclable content and grass paver blocks on pavements and roads.

Depiction of Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs)

This kind of impetus on net zero energy building calls for the need to know its definition. 'A net zero energy building is defined as a highly energy efficient building which on annual basis consumes as much energy as it produces energy at site using renewable energy sources'. In other words, a building is said to be a NZEB when the difference between its annual total energy consumption and its annual on-site energy generation through renewable sources is zero.  

It also combines state-of-the-art, energy-efficient construction and appliances with commercially available renewable energy systems, such as solar water heating and solar electricity. The combination results in a home that produces its own energy - as much or more than it needs. Even though the home might be connected to a utility grid, it has net zero energy consumption from the utility provider. In other words, a zero energy building is a structure that produces more electrical or thermal energy, than it uses.

This can be measured in different ways (relating to cost, energy, or carbon emissions) and, irrespective of the definition used; different views are taken on the relative importance of energy generation and energy conservation to achieve energy balance. Although zero energy buildings remain uncommon in developed countries, they are gaining in importance and popularity. The zero energy approach is promoted as a potential solution to a range of issues, including reducing carbon emissions, and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Most NZEB definitions do not include the emissions generated in the construction of the building and the embodied energy of the structure which would usually invalidate claims of reducing carbon emissions.

A building approaching zero energy use may be called a near-zero energy building or ultra-low energy house. Buildings that produce a surplus of energy during a portion of the year may be known as energy-plus buildings. An energy autarkic house is a building concept where the balance of the own energy consumption and production can be made on an hourly or even smaller basis. Energy autarkic houses can be taken off-the-grid.

Countries across the globe are embracing net-zero or near-zero goals as they seek to diminish the energy footprint and carbon emissions of their building stock. In spite of the increasing popularity of net-zero concepts, the term lacks a lucid, universally accepted and technically consistent definition. Moreover, there are no definitive, widely accepted net-zero metrics for quantification of targets, goals and actual building performance. Depending on the context, the net-zero scope may include remotely located renewable energy sources, take into account a time-period that is seasonal, comprise of a community-level project boundary, consider primary energy generation at the source, or use an accounting matrix that includes carbon emissions or embodied energy of building materials.

NZEBs in the Indian Setting

India is facing formidable challenges in meeting its energy needs. As per the Planning Commission’s Integrated Energy Policy Report (Planning Commission 2006), if India preserves with sustained growth rate of 8% per annum, its primary energy supply will need to grow by 3 to 4 times and electricity generation capacity/supply by 5 to 6 times compared to 2003-04. It is estimated that by 2013-32, the country’s power generation capacity of 8,00,000 MW would be required as against the installed capacity of 1,60,600 MW inclusive of all captive plants in 2001-07. Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has estimated that the country is currently facing electricity shortage of 9.9% and peak demand shortage of 16.6% (CEA 2009).

Buildings account for 33% of the total electricity consumption in India. An estimated 70% of the buildings stock required for 2030 is yet to be built. This formidable growth in the construction industry and the resultant energy demand will increase dependence on imported fuel, contribute to higher greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and strain the country's fossil fuel dependent infrastructure. While implementing minimum energy performance standards for buildings will contribute towards checking the increasing energy demand, net-zero goals are needed for energy security.

Building Sector's Energy Consumption

Residential and commercial buildings account for about 33% of the total electricity used in India. The residential buildings consume 24% of total electricity consumption in the country which can be attributed to higher disposable income and better access to finance for purchasing home appliances among the households. This is leading to substantial growth of electricity consumption in recent years. On an average 45% of electricity in this sector is being used for space cooling and thermal comfort using air conditioners, fans and evaporative coolers; while lighting accounts for 28%. As per McKinsey, India had residential floor space of 8 billion square meters in 2005, which is expected to touch 37 billion square meters in 2030. Considering ever widening gap between electricity demand and supply, as being seen currently in the country, meeting electricity demands of the residential buildings in the coming years could be very challenging.

The commercial buildings sector which comprises of the office buildings, hotels, hospitals, educational institutes, retail malls, etc., consumes 9% of total electricity consumption in India. This sector has experienced electricity consumption growth rate of 12-14% in recent years which is attributed to the increasing electricity consumption in the existing buildings as well as increasing energy intensity of newly constructed commercial buildings. It is estimated that in the year 2010 commercial buildings had a built up area of 0.65 billion square meters, and this is expected to grow to 1.9 billion square meters in 2030. This means that about 66% of commercial building stock that will be there in 2030 is yet to come up in the country. Appendix 2 gives an overview of building sector in India.

There have been landmark initiatives by the Government of India for improving energy efficiency in commercial buildings. The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) launched by the Government of India under the Energy Conservation Act 2001, for voluntary adoption in the country, sets minimum energy performance standards for commercial buildings. BEE has also developed a Star Rating Program for existing commercial buildings, which is based on actual energy performance of the buildings, expressed as an Energy Performance Index (measured in terms of annual electricity consumption per unit of built up area .

Given the constraints in enhancing electricity generation capacity and over-dependence of fossil fuels for electricity needs, there is a pressing need to go beyond driving incremental increases in energy efficiency in buildings. Development of a new set of policies is needed to enhance energy efficiency initiatives and promote on-site generation of electricity through renewable sources for captive use in the buildings.

In India, it is essential that net-zero goals must be accompanied by robust energy efficiency measures that include a sound climatically responsive passive approach to design, low-energy comfort systems, day lighting and lighting controls, efficient equipment and systems, and a design approach that embraces adaptive thermal comfort standards. Additionally, net-zero goals require a supportive renewable energy policy and a comprehensive smart grid program. While it is essential to add new power generation capacity to meet the nation’s growing energy requirements, it is equally important to look out for options that will help in reducing energy demand for various end-use sectors

India's Existing Framework for NZEB

The entire effort in the area of energy efficiency building codes and standards is being led by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). Currently, the policy framework for building energy-efficiency in India addresses and recognizes incremental reductions in energy-use through minimum performance standards stipulated in the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC). Recognizing the need for developing a long-term strategy for meeting energy demands of buildings primarily through renewable resources, the USAID ECO-III Project had drafted an initial roadmap for net-zero buildings in India in August 2011.

The roadmap was developed through extensive stakeholder engagement and explored potential barriers to NZEB, plausible milestones, and design interventions needed to increase energy-efficiency in buildings to reach net-zero status The USAID Partnership to Advance Clean Energy - Deployment (PACE-D) Technical Assistance Program continues this focus on Net-Zero Energy Buildings through multiple activities that address the diverse components needed to facilitate the progression of the Indian building industry towards net-zero goals.

Challenges in Achieving Net Zero Energy

At the outset, the idea that buildings can be more efficient and environmentally friendly, as well as more pleasant for tenants and less costly, is not necessarily widespread. Another fairly prevalent perception was that the transaction costs involved in integrated design processes and other elements of NZEB projects were too high. Technical challenges related to the procurement of competent service providers, the appropriate technology choices, and the writing of tendering documents were also identified in some cases.

Guidelines to Realize NZEB

Designing of a NZEB typically requires successful integration and optimization of several architectural concepts and strategies such as building orientation with respect to sun path, natural ventilation, solar shading, day-lighting, solar heat gains, thermal comfort as well as deployment of well proven insulation practices, energy efficient glazing, air conditioning and lighting systems, and incorporation of renewable energy technologies for on-site power generation.

There is a growing realization internationally that major breakthroughs in reducing energy use in buildings will entail combining whole-building design approaches with state of the art energy-efficient technologies (e.g. super-efficient building envelope, low-energy comfort air conditioning and lighting systems, advanced metering and control systems, etc.) and on-site renewable energy technologies (e.g. building integrated photovoltaic, solar thermal, etc.).

One of the most distinguishing features of NZEB projects in comparison with more conventional projects is the use of an integrated design process, whereby architects, engineers, contractors, project developers and even building occupants convene early in the project cycle to develop a holistic strategy to reduce costs, better anticipate building use patterns, and exploit synergies in energy saving opportunities. An integrated design process may appear more time-consuming at first sight, especially since planning cycles even for traditional building construction and major retrofits tend to be quite long. However, most of the projects examined took less than two years to complete.

This suggests that greater effort at the initial planning stages may reduce overall project time. At a broader, macroeconomic level, it may also suggest that with proper planning, policy support, market conditions, and with political investment regarding highly visible projects, Europe should be able to achieve its 2018/2020 NZEB targets.

Looking into the current trends, cooling load is going to be major energy consuming component particularly in air conditioned commercial buildings such as large private establishments and public sector/government offices, high end hotels, multi specialty hospitals, shopping malls, etc. in the State capitals and other major cities falling particularly in warm-humid and composite climate zones. Cities falling under hot-dry climate zone however may have the option of using evaporating cooling and ceiling fans to meet thermal comfort in the buildings. Water availability could be an issue in some cities.

Lighting requirements are also likely to rise due to higher demands for general lighting levels, task specific lighting requirements, and generally the needs for good visual comfort as well as improved productivity. Basic issue for the building owners and users is related to inadequate availability of electricity supply from the utilities. Captive power generation through diesel/gas generation (DG/GG) sets among the commercial establishments has become a norm. The research and technological advancements worldwide have, however, shown that efficient harnessing of on-site solar energy, and energy from wastes in urban areas can gradually pave the way for NZEBs in next two decades, if pursued with strong commitment. Three focus areas discussed further which need to be recognized and pursued by the building designers and developers’ community for leading the NZEB path. These need to be supported, however, by appropriate policy and commitment from the Government.

Designing For Solar Passive Building Envelope

While planning and development of newer townships and newer real estate projects such as commercial and institutional complexes, residential colonies, large shopping malls, etc., it is important to give sufficient attention to the following measures to reduce solar heat gain and improve day lighting level in the buildings:

• Planning site orientation preferably with longer axis of the buildings to be in east-west direction, as far as feasible
• Designing building fenestration with low window-wall ratio (preferably less than 40%) having lesser windows on south and west
• Placement of large windows on north side of façade to enhance daylighting in the building
• Adoption of horizontal shading devices (overhangs and louvers) on windows on south side, and vertical shading devices (side fins and louvers) on east and west side of building façade
• Enhancement of use of natural and cross ventilation of air within the building
• Planting of trees and vegetation around the building, wherever possible, to block direct solar radiation falling on the building.

Reduction of Lighting Load

Encouraging developments in energy efficient lighting technologies and control systems have been seen in recent years. However their penetration in real situations has not occurred. Rigorous adoption of certain measures is crucial such as:

• Enhancement the use of energy efficient CFLs and TFLs (T5) which have higher lamp efficacy over Incandescent Lamps and TFL (T12) for general lighting in buildings. Lamps based on LED technology which is likely to make a major impact in lighting load reduction strategy, need to be utilized wherever feasible
• Optimization of general lighting and task lighting requirements
• Integration of daylighting with interior lighting systems through efficient sensors and controls
• Deployment of Low Pressure Sodium Lamp with high lamp efficacy for exterior lighting.

Designing for Renewable Energy

• Designing buildings with Solar PV System on building roof/terrace, while ensuring availability of required space for solar panels
• Inclusion of Building Integrated PV system particularly on south facing building façade
• Selection of Solar PV modules with high efficiency of solar panels. Currently mono crystalline cells (230 Wp or more) with solar panel efficiency (13% or more) are available in the market. Extensive research has been going on world-wide to produce modules with efficiencies more than 20% for commercial applications
• Deployment of solar water heating systems in hospitals, hotels, which need hot water throughout the year
• Generation of on-site electricity from locally available wastes for meeting building’s own electricity requirement

Processes and Transactions Costs

For project developers, it is important to engage in early and integrated planning so as to exploit all possible options during the design phase to reduce energy demand and source energy on site. In particular, local rules and regulations need to be examined and understood during this phase, since failure to obtain the proper permits may cause significant project delays. Available incentives and subsidies, as well as financing options, also need to be considered and examined as a priority early in the process.

Once the project is underway or completed, it is critical to stay closely engaged with both the building and its occupants, and especially to make any adjustments to technologies and systems, as performance may differ from projections. Policymakers wishing to promote the adoption of NZEBs may want to consider education and awareness measures targeted at local authorities charged with permitting and rules for NZEBs in their jurisdictions; especially since net zero energy may present an entirely new challenge for many local officials. Local authorities are not the only actors who need to be trained and informed regarding NZEBs; in order to create the optimal market conditions for NZEBs, the knowledge and the competitiveness of existing contractors also must be taken into account.

Technology Awareness

Technology awareness may be challenging, since firms may not have the time or expertise to identify the best suppliers, system integrators and vendors for their NZEB projects. However, it is critical to understand as early as possible what kinds of technologies and systems the market can provide before embarking too far down the path of construction or retrofit, as the choices may have significant consequences on budgets and project timeframes.

 

Among early technology and design decisions, air tightness, windows, insulation and other building shell attributes were seen as critical in most of the projects. These must be well selected, and the building shell must be well designed, both because of the higher cost of these technologies and because of their impact on energy performance. In parallel, other technologies and systems installed should be intelligent and flexible in order to adjust for occupant use patterns. The use of natural ventilation in dense, polluted and noisy urban settings may present an important technical challenge.

Impediments in Adopting NZEB

Creating and communicating a compelling vision around the NZEB building is critical to ensuring buying from a range of stakeholders, most notably the building’s actual users. A careful balancing of costs and benefits is common in any retrofit or new construction project. In the realm of net zero energy, high energy performance, and sustainability in buildings generally, the total cost of ownership can be used in reference to a more holistic understanding of value: Short term returns on investments must be contrasted with longer-term benefits including energy and resource savings, higher ‘green’ market value, and occupant well-being and productivity.

• Limited awareness on the concept of NZEB: The general concept on NZEB is gaining importance and recognition in the developed countries though its definition and interpretation vary from country to country. For promoting NZEB, there is a need to define first NZEB for the country in easy to understand terms. This will help various stakeholders to address various aspects and issues related to NZEB on a convergent perspective.
• Policy and Program on NZEB not existing: Government has taken a number of initiatives to improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings inlast couple of years. As mentioned earlier, these include development of ECBC and Energy Star Rating Program for commercial buildings promoted by Bureau of Energy Efficiency and Ministry of Power. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has been promoting renewable energy systems including technologies for electricity generation from wind power, solar energy and bio-mass by providing several financial subsidies in India. However so far there has not been any specific policy or a well defined government program to integrate these initiatives and promote a common NZEB strategy for the country.
• Market for commercial NZEBs does not exist: Construction business is driven by short-term profits where building construction cost is an important factor affecting the management decision. Financial benefits of NZEB are mainly for the building users. Building developers and construction companies do not see this as a specific advantage for them for developing NZEBs. There is also no demand for NZEBs from the Government for the construction of their own and public sector buildings. The building users from private sector also find difficult to understand and see any short term or long term financial gains for going for NZEBs.
• Absence of public awareness on residential NZEBs: Government has been quite successful in promoting energy efficient home appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators, ceiling fans, etc. in the household sector through its on-going energy star rating program. However the developers of multifamily residential building complexes and individuals who intend to build their homes are not aware of energy efficient architectural guidelines and renewable energy opportunities which can fit effectively into their buildings’ functional requirements. Therefore such efficiency measures do not get incorporated at the design stage.
• Higher costs of EE and RE technologies for NZEB: A range of advance energy efficient technologies and systems for buildings, initially developed in other countries, are being made available by a few vendors for the indigenous construction industry. However their higher first cost over the conventional building material and systems impedes their penetration in real situations. Similarly renewable energy technologies even though not difficult to procure from indigenous vendors, are normally seen as high cost cosmetic technologies. These technologies are yet to find their place in building design despite several fiscal incentives being offered by the Government to the building owners. The building developers and designers on the other hand, because of their insufficient experience and doubt on energy performance generally do not promote these technologies in their building designs unless the building owners demand and agree to pay higher initial cost towards the construction of the building.
• Limited design expertise in the market: There is inadequate knowledge and expertise on NZEB concepts amongst majority of building designers and architects on upcoming energy efficient building materials and technologies, solar passive architecture, and lack of knowledge and working experience on renewable energy systems. Thus the designer community is not proactive in promoting NZEBs. Lack of motivation and inclination of architects to learn something new and highly technical subject such as NZEB remains a major barrier.

Role of Stakeholders

Government: NZEB Policy and Program

The Government at the Central as well as at the State level needs to form a unified policy and program towards NZEBs, giving its enhanced commitment towards integration of energy efficiency and renewable energy at the design stage of the buildings. The Government also needs to establish NZEB targets for commercial and residential building sectors. Government also needs to promote and endorse the constitution of NZEB Consortium. It needs to support the design and construction of NZEB buildings belonging to the government and public sector as well as the building developers in the private sector. To demonstrate its commitment, it should initiate pilot projects in new government buildings in different States and also facilitate private builders in doing so through the enhancement of existing fiscal incentives. These could include specific tax rebates, reduced excise and import duties on efficient technologies, differential energy tariffs to the building owners/users, reduced capital costs and interest rates, etc. It also needs to support R&D initiatives that have potential to assist faster development of NZEBs in the country.

Private Sector: Building Industry

Builders, building owners and users can be the most influential in driving the way buildings are designed, built and operated. This stakeholder group needs to be engaged to participate in pilot projects. Building equipment manufacturers and suppliers need to be involved to ensure that they bring in cutting edge technologies and materials which can substantially reduce energy consumption and enhance on-site power generation. Supportive partnerships with individual companies as well as industry associations through the proposed Consortium can play a major role in undertaking pilot projects.

Academic & Research Institutions

These institutions can assist in creation of newer generation of architects and engineers through academic and professional education, also facilitate in capacity building programs for the practising architects and building construction community at various levels. In association with proposed Consortium, these institutions can also undertake specific market and policy level studies and enlighten various stakeholders involved in the NZEB Program and provide their technical services in development of pilot projects. They can also be involved in continuous monitoring and dissemination of information on the developments taking place in different countries on NZEBs, through workshops, conferences, etc.

Initiatives to promote zero energy buildings

The Partnership to Advance Clean Energy - Deployment (PACE-D) Technical Assistance (TA) Program is a five-year bilateral program with an objective to accelerate India's transition to a high performing, low emissions, and energy secure economy. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the program in July 2012 in partnership with the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to support clean energy deployment and scale-up. The program has three key components: Improving end-use Energy Efficiency (EE), Increasing supply of Renewable Energy (RE), and Accelerating deployment of Clean Fossil Technologies.

In the buildings sector, the PACE-D TA Program is supporting the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) to promote energy efficiency and net-zero goals in India. These activities build upon BEE's past activities in the buildings sector and will be centered on the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) Implementation under the 12th Plan, with a strategic vision of leapfrogging the vibrant Indian building market towards design and implementation of high performance buildings in the near future. The activities include technical resource development, capacity building, demonstration projects, ECBC implementation support, and updating the ECBC 2007 with provision for NZEB components.

Role of PACE-D

The PACE-D Technical Assistance (TA) Program focuses on increasing the market deployment of energy efficient and renewable energy technologies, smart-grids, improving access to clean energy finance, strengthening policy and regulatory frameworks and increasing the technical capacity of institutions to advance clean energy in India. These activities will be deployed in a complementary manner to put India on the pathway to a net-zero future.

The PACE-D TA team is working closely with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) to define net-zero goals as well as to achieve the synergies required across various focus areas. The PACE-D TAProgram will also focus on demonstrating the technical feasibility of the NZEB concept. The demo projects will provide the opportunity to engage stakeholders across the building value chain and disseminate information about tools, technologies, costs, performance, and measurement and verification data over a period of time. The PACE-D TAProgram will engage local stakeholders at the state level across India and establish a network of demonstration projects that are supported by State Designated Agencies and State Renewable Energy Development Agencies.

 The PACE-D TA Program will also facilitate the information exchange between relevant stakeholders through knowledge dissemination which will showcase Net-Zero Energy Building success stories from around the world.

Recommendations on Strategy Roadmap for Nzebs

• Government of India should constitute an inter-ministerial coordination mechanism, a unified policy and a national program and targets on NZEBs involving Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy as well as the Ministry of Urban Development.
• A national level NZEB Consortium with an overall objective of promoting NZEBs needs to be created in India to actively involve and encourage architects, consultants, builders, technology providers and other stakeholders. The Consortium is proposed to be housed in CEPT University, an independent institute which has been working in buildings and energy efficiency for the last many years. The CEPT University, in consultation with Government of India should constitute a high level ‘Advisory Committee on NZEB’, involving policy makers, eminent specialists and domain experts to give a national perspective to the NZEB Program.
• A NZEB Steering Committee at CEPT should be constituted to overview, guide and monitor the functioning of the Consortium periodically. Consortium should drive its functions by getting financial support from the Central/State Government, private sector membership and funding from the bilateral/multilateral agencies, international foundations, etc.
• Government of India needs to review the existing fiscal incentives on advanced renewable energy technologies for power generation as well as energy efficient technologies pertaining to buildings primarily with a view to promote newer time bound policies and schemes to give impetus for the construction of NZEBs in India. The Government should gradually withdraw these when the cost of these technologies come down due to higher off take in the market and paybacks on investments on such technologies and systems become commercially attractive.
• The Government (Centre/State), to demonstrate its commitment towards NZEB path, and acquire first hand experience, should initiate 4-5 pilot projects in the on-going 5-year span (ending 2015) in different cities/states possibly in different climate zones for constructing government buildings. These buildings should be designed primarily to reduce overall energy consumption through energy efficiency measures while ensuring that on-site power generation through renewable energy sources replaces significantly energy derived from fossil fuels. For every subsequent 5 year period, 4-5 pilot new projects should be promoted with higher levels of energy efficiency and higher reliance on on-site power generation.
• The Government should engage, collaborate and mainstream concerned stakeholders such as major building/real estate developers, most prolific architecture firms and building owners from the private sector who are willing to incorporate NZEB concepts and design features in their upcoming commercial buildings (e.g hotels, hospitals, shopping malls, etc.) or high-rise residential buildings to undertake pilot projects. In next 5 years, the Government should facilitate such 4-5 pilot projects to construct commercial or residential buildings similar to the approach adopted for Government promoted pilot projects. This should be followed by 4-5 new pilot projects in every subsequent 5 year span.
• Case studies on all pilot projects should be documented by the Consortium for wider dissemination of experiences.
• Programs should be initiated to build capacity of building construction companies to equip them with specialized project management and execution services for effectively implementing NZEB projects in real situations.
• Long term energy savings and self reliance on energy needs, and corresponding financial and environmental benefits of NZEBs should be identified and documented by the Consortium with Government support. These should be disseminated widely among all the stakeholders, including concerned Government organizations such as CPWD and state level PWDs, town planning departments, urban local bodies, private sector building developers, building designer and construction community, building equipment manufacturers, academic and research institutions, etc.
• For public awareness, mainstreaming of well established architectural guidelines and best practices for net zero energy residential buildings and complexes should be promoted widely through awareness campaigns. Help desks should be created in various institutions for providing basic assistance to all concerned.
• Large pool of professionals and young architects should be identified in the country and trained to run building energy simulation tools so that their services can be fruitfully utilized by building designer community in designing NZEBs.
• Government of India in partnership with the State Government need to take steps to develop suitable testing and certification infrastructure to facilitate faster development of NZEBs in the country. Financial assistance from concerned private sector entities and international agencies could be sought.
• US, European Union and a few other countries have taken political and policy decisions to go for NZEBs in the coming years. Therefore it may be advisable for the Government of India should develop appropriate collaboration networks with them to acquire and share knowledge and experiences for mutual benefits. The Consortium can play a significant role in this activity.

India’s Milestones and Projections for NZEBs

YEAR	MILESTONES AND PROJECTIONS
2011	Government of India (GOI) recognizes NZEB concepts and formally takes initiatives to develop a roadmap to achieve the proposed NZEB vision by 2030 Ground work is started for forming NZEB Consortium – comprising of key stakeholders from private sector, government, and academic institutions Process for identifying potential government buildings and private buildings for undertaking NZEB pilot projects is started
2012	A Government directive that announces that by 2030, all new buildings are to be NZEBs, is put in place. This announcement includes intent to move in this direction by 2030 through a well drawn NZEB roadmap NZEB Consortium is in place - engagement with all key stakeholders is well under way National level NZEB roadmap till 2030 including 5-year NZEB targets is in place GOI reviews the existing fiscal and financial incentives on energy efficient technologies and renewable energy technologies from NZEB perspectives First set of 4-5 pilot projects (Government buildings) are identified, and design process for pilot projects starts First set of 4-5 pilot projects (Privately owned buildings) are identified, and design process for pilot projects starts
2013	GOI issues newer fiscal/financial incentives and policies that promote NZEBs Pilot projects are under implementation A few pilot projects start being operational
2015	All identified pilot projects are constructed and are made operational for demonstration Experiences including achievements of targets are documented and disseminated On the basis of experiences, newer set of incentives and support are introduced by GOI Second set of new 4-5 pilot projects (with higher efficiency levels in comparison with the first two sets) each from the government and private segments identified, and design process starts
2020	Second set of pilot projects are made operational Experiences and achievements of targets are documented and disseminated Third set of pilot projects with higher emphasis on energy efficiency and renewable energy are initiated GOI starts the process of mandating that all new buildings that constructed in 2030 onwards are to be NZEBs
2025	Third set of pilot projects are operational, experiences and achievements documented and disseminated Fourth set of pilot projects which are designed almost very close to NZEB are identified and initiated GOI enforces the mandates that all new buildings constructed after 2030 are NZEBs
2030	Fourth set of pilot projects are operational, experiences and achievements documented and disseminated Stakeholders are fully equipped to meet GOI mandates on NZEB Construction of NZEBs becomes a norm in reality

Homeowner and Building Industry Needs and Behavior

There are strategies for addressing the needs and behavioral patterns of the residential building industry as well as homeowners as they pertain to energy efficiency. Gaining greater insight into social, cultural, psychological, and economic influences can help identify ways to motivate better energy behaviors and decision making. In theory, advanced technologies combined with best practices afford great potential for improving energy efficiency, but, in practice, realizing this potential has proven difficult. Making significant, measurable progress requires large numbers of individuals to act—and each person’s actions are affected by many factors. Strategies to encourage energy-efficient choices are further complicated by a limited understanding of some of the human dimensions of individual decision making and action-taking.The same is true for communities of individuals working together, such as in the building industry. Theory states that when given the choice to invest in a product that is more energy efficient (and has low risk), a consumer is likely to adopt the technology. In reality, the actions of individuals often do not follow this rational economic model.

The Human Element of NZEBs

Future homes will need to take into account human behavior and needs during the design, construction, maintenance, and operation stages in order to achieve NZEB. It is expected that homes will be designed so that owners can monitor performance with information that is easy to understand, includes meaningful context, and will provide a means for owners to effortlessly control energy use. Consumers will be more motivated to achieve NZEB and therefore more involved in designing their NZEB homes if relevant and understandable information and an accepted design process that encourages greater homeowner participation is available. Government incentives could provide support and encourage cost-effective private financing for energy efficient home construction and retrofits.  Going ahead, NZEBs will be designed and built in a way that engages and empowers people to waste less energy and improve energy purchase decision making.

The pioneers in net zero have to put a range of options on the table. New decision-makers interested in exploring net zero can be well served by examining the lessons from these pioneers. In pursuing net zero building design, they will also be faced with weighing advantages, such as perceived increased health benefits from day lighting and natural ventilation, with disadvantages, such as more complex design and permitting. Does it make sense – all things considered – to make the move to net zero energy? If the ‘cocktail’ is right it may, but no single factor, whether sustainability or saving money or other, is likely to be singularly persuasive.

Commercial and residential sectors account for about one-third of electricity used in India. In the next 20 years, these sectors will add new floor space that will be twice and thrice respectively of what currently exists in these two sectors. Government of India in its fight against climate change has launched a national building energy conservation code to meet minimum energy performance in new commercial buildings. However, considering the relatively long lifespan of buildings, there is a pressing need to go beyond driving incremental increases in energy efficiency in the country. Newer vision, policies and programs coupled with constitution of a Stakeholders Consortium can ensure that all buildings constructed after 2030 will be NZEBs.

Acknowledgement: This article has been compiled by the author to bring out an overview of sustainable buildings, which are potential ‘Net Zero Energy Buildings’. Information from various sources acknowledged and not claimed as an original article.

 

Reference:

• eco3.org
• www.pace-d.com
• www.institutebe.com
• www.thehindu.com
• dspace.vpmthane.org
• nvlpubs.nist.gov