Another First: IIT-Bombay Plans to Construct Zero-Energy Building

Giving back to the environment what we consume from it—this the underlying principle of Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) for an ambitious project of constructing a zero-energy building, the first of its kind in the country, at its Powai campus.

A zero-energy building, according to experts, is one that has annual net energy consumption of zero—measured in terms of cost, energy and carbon emissions. The zero-energy approach is being promoted as a “potential solution to a range of social and environmental issues, including reducing carbon emissions, dependence on oil power, fuel imports, use of fossil fuels and providing a measure of energy security against future energy crises, they say.

But do these buildings not use electricity at all? “We may have to borrow, say for instance, 100 MW of power for lighting purposes at night, but we will also give back 100 MW of light during daytime by using solar cells, solar passive concepts as well as sound ventilation principles,” said Krithi Ramamritham, R&D Dean. He said the institute aimed at giving back to the environment what it consumes on an average over a year.

“We are bringing an architecture consultant from Delhi to understand the city’s weather and how to build a zero-energy building within the given constraints. Our aim is to construct such a building using all the local expertise that we have,” Ramamritham said.

At IIT-B, two zero-energy structures will be constructed—a research and development (R&D) centre and the building housing Department of Energy Science and Engineering.

“The R&D building has already been sanctioned and the design has been submitted to the dean of planning. While the concept is gradually gaining importance and popularity, there’s one building in Germany which has been built on the principle of zero-energy,” said Ramamritham.

The building will also showcase all the technological developments and inventions of IIT-B in terms of design, energy lighting, ergonomics and space utilisation among others, Ramamritham said, adding floors of the building would also be dedicated for display of research and development activities of the institute. “Unless we showcase our achievements, no one else will and what better way to do it but have an entire building dedicated to it,” Ramamritham said.

Each zero energy building, according to Ramamritham, will require a capital expenditure of Rs 15 crore—15-30 per cent more than traditional designs. But, according to Ramamritham, the extra costs could be recouped in as little as two years. The R&D building, for instance, will utilise the internal corpus, which IITB builds through overheads from outside or sponsored research projects, but the second building will require external funding by corporates, industries or even the alumni, Ramamritham said.

Use of solar cells, large solar panels and reflectors next to windows so that light is reflected inside will be part of the overall design for the R&D building. “Most buildings on the campus have not been designed with the goal for zero artificial light but this one will be made on that principle,” said Ramamritham.

Considering that it rains for months in Mumbai, the building, however, will not include the component of water conservation since it is “expensive” and also “difficult to store water for a long period of time”, Ramamritham said.

Courtesy:- ExpressIndia

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