Non-green buildings in cities including Shillong are guzzling energy and generating waste, says Nawaz Yasin Islam
DEVELOPMENT IN any front has been synonymous to degradation and this has been a characteristic feature of the Industrial Age which has brought along with it, a handful of pros and cons that can be debated endlessly.
The rapid growth of cities including Shillong has led to a desperate clamour for more residential, office, commercial and retail spaces. This has only led to one foreseen result – India plunging itself into a frenzy of construction.
What is worrying is the scale of the change: with changing lifestyles, cities are bound to use up more and more of precious water and energy and generate massive amounts of waste. So far, due to the high incidence of urban poverty and traditional frugal lifestyle habits, India has had a large stock of low energy urban homes. But this is bound to change. A 2010 study on urban infrastructure estimates that the middle class will be the most dominant income class in the future: it will account for 50% of all urban households by 2025.
Center for Science and Environment (CSE), a public interest research and advocacy organisation based in New Delhi, organized a workshop earlier this month whereby discussions on the level of sustainability of our building and cities were debated upon. Points of contention such as rating of ‘green’ buildings, cumulative impact of big buildings and township projects on environment, and ‘affordable’ housing, will be discussed and debated at CSE’s media fellowship briefing on ‘Urbanscapes: How sustainable are our buildings and cities?’
With an honest aim to demystify the realty sector and unveil its effect on the environment, the two day workshop saw experts, consultants, builders, architects, government officials and mediapersons coming together to dwell upon a topic whose relevance is becoming prominent with every passing day.
Energy and buildings
BUILDINGS DO not consume, people do. According to the International Energy Outlook 2013, the energy use tracker of the US Energy Information System, the building sector accounts for more than one fifth of the total worldwide energy use, and India mirrors the trend.
The Energy Statistics 2013 of India’s National Statistical Organisation (NSO) shows that electricity accounted for more than 57% of the total energy consumption during 2011-12 in India, and the building sector is already consuming close to 40% of the electricity. This is expected to increase to 76% by 2040. A large quantity of incremental energy demand will come from the residential sector in India.
Electricity accounted for 57% of total energy consumption during 2011-12 in India — the building sector used up close to 40% of this electricity. The share of electricity is expected to increase to 76% by 2040. With efficient lighting, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and architectural design in our buildings, it is possible to save 30-70% of energy. How can we cut electricity costs in our buildings? This becomes a question that has remained largely unanswered till today.
A major point of concern is the ever increasing consumption of energy by such buildings. As it is, the effect of global warming can be seen in all places including Shillong and considering the rate at which things are degenerating, very soon, air conditioning systems will be a part of our daily lives, much as it is in other parts of the country.
Something interesting happened in India with the IT sector boom beginning from the mid 1990s specially with the advent of IT complexes, BPOs, hotels, etc., which led to the introduction of the new building typology. There was a surge in air conditioning along with tall buildings with glass facades which were reminiscent of buildings in New York, Chicago, etc. These buildings introduced air conditioning in the country in a big manner.
Consruction and demolition waste
THE CONSTRUCTION industry in India is booming, growing at a rate of 10% annually over the last 10 years, as against the world average of 5.5%. Buildings use up resources such as electricity and water, along with a variety of material such as bricks and sand. The recent controversy over sand mining has put the spotlight on the need for recycle, reuse and substitute naturally sourced building and construction material. What are these options, and how can they be incorporated into our regular construction practices?
The only answer to issues as such is the implementation of an important policy that is expected to set the sustainability terms for energy savings in new construction in India which is the Energy Conservation Building Code.
This is part of the central regulations that sets norms and guidelines to influence the construction and designing of new buildings. Though framing of this code is part of the first generation action in India, ensuring its effectiveness and implementation are part of the next generation challenge.
