by P. GopalaKrishnan, Managing Director, Southeast Asia and Middle East, GBCI
As the world faces the growing challenges of climate change, India has reached a critical milestone by committing to achieving net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2070. This pledge, announced at COP26, positions India as a leader in the global fight against climate change, given its status as the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. While this target is set for the long term, immediate and innovative solutions are required across various sectors to ensure progress, particularly in construction and real estate-two areas playing a major role in India’s transformation.
The construction sector contributes nearly 39% to global emissions, making it a key player in the journey toward sustainability. As India rapidly urbanizes, integrating net-zero buildings into the national landscape becomes essential. These buildings aim to eliminate carbon emissions by balancing the energy they consume with renewable energy sources, making them pivotal in reducing the overall carbon footprint.
Net-zero buildings are a crucial solution for India, not only in reducing emissions but also in supporting the country’s vision for a greener, more sustainable future. This transformation in the built environment will be an essential component of India's broader commitment to combating climate change and promoting sustainability on a global scale.
Net-zero buildings: Principles and purpose
Net-zero buildings are designed in a way so that they generate as much energy over the course of a year as they consume, bringing carbon footprints to a nullification level. This is achieved in a manner that combines energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, and sustainable building practices. The core principles of net-zero buildings are energy efficiency, reduction of the overall energy demand through innovative design, usage of advanced materials, and state-of-the-art technology. It could also involve access to renewable energy, such as solar, wind, geothermal, or any other form of renewable source; and sustainable building practices, which include not only excellent passive design, but also green material use for insulation, glazing, and roofs. Renewable energy includes integrating sources such as solar panels or wind turbines that are keys to satisfying building energy requirements. While it is difficult at times to offset completely, buildings can make investments in carbon offsetting that balance out residual emissions. These structures themselves are a far-reaching solution to one of the world's most carbon-intensive sectors andprovide a critical template for how the built environment can contribute to India's ambitious net-zero vision.
Reducing carbon footprints: The role of net-zero buildings
In India, where urbanisation comes to a scale that has never been seen before, the need for 'green', energy-efficient, and low-emission buildings is the need of the hour. It is estimated that the building stock in India will double from the current 660 million square meters to about 1.32 billion square meters by 2050, which will lead to an intensification of the energy demand. Zero-net buildings would reduce this energy burden severely because there would be zero emissions or energy consumption if new constructions followed the green standards and integrated renewable energy sources right from the beginning.
Research has shown that the carbon emissions by such net-zero buildings are lower to the extent of 80% compared with ordinary buildings. The design efficiencies reduce operational energy consumption in such net-zero buildings, and they incorporate on-site renewable energy systems. These buildings minimize their dependency on fossil fuels and play a more significant role in the decarbonization of India's urban environment.
Financial incentives and policy support
The Indian government is also aware of the contributions net-zero buildings can make towards attaining climate goals and to this end has effected several policies and financial incentives. One of the key policies is the National Building Code that incorporates regulations on sustainable construction. It has also established the Energy Conservation Building Code, or ECBC. This code requires the commercial buildings to maintain a standard that is less wasteful of energy.
Certifications developed by industry bodies such as Green Business Certification Inc (GBCI) and Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) have helped set benchmarks for being qualified as net-zero/green buildings. These certifications are recognized by the government as well as the industry. State governments are also playing an instrumental role in promoting net-zero/green buildings and have started reducing property taxes for certified green buildings. This encourages developers as well as homeowners to build net-zero buildings. All this is in the right direction, but it has taken real policies to actually build more net-zero structures. Recent events, including that of launching India's National Hydrogen Mission, indicate that it is time for policies and technology to come together for easier buildings powered by renewable energy.
The government has taken several initiatives, one of which is the
Technological innovations driving net-zero design
Technology advancement has been one of the main enablers in the realization of net-zero buildings. So far, innovations in building materials, renewable energy systems, and energy storage have significantly enhanced the viability of net-zero construction in India. The following are some of the most prominent technological trends:
- Smart Energy Management Systems: These optimize energy usage within a building by automatically adjusting lighting, heating, and cooling according to available real-time data, thus minimizing waste of energy.
- Energy-Efficient Building Materials: The use of low-e glass, green concrete, and PCMs can contribute to the saving of energy within the building.
- Solar PV Integration: Solar photovoltaic panels are now being integrated in new construction so that the building can produce its own electricity from a renewable energy source.
- Integration of renewable energy generation with battery storage solutions will ensure that there is always energy available even when solar or wind energy generation is low during periods.
These technical improvements not only contribute to the building's energy efficiency but also make it more resilient. Hence, net-zero buildings present an attractive investment proposition for the future.
Climate resilience: Net-zero buildings for a changing world
India is highly sensitive towards the effects of global warming, with frequent heat waves, flash floods, and other extreme climatic events. By its very definition, net-zero buildings are intended to increase the level of resilience for the climatic perturbations. Better insulation with passive design strategies and energy-efficient systems keeps the building at a greater thermal comfort level while minimizing the amount of energy consumption required to heat/cool during such extreme climatic conditions.
Moreover, net-zero buildings contribute to the reduced dependency on energy grids that are often affected during the catastrophic phenomena. For these buildings, it is possible to generate their own energy, and therefore, building managers can guarantee that the buildings remain functional even in cases of power outage. This further adds onto occupants' safety and comfort in extreme weather events.
Conclusion
As urbanization continues in India, the building and construction sector has a pivotal role to play in helping the country achieve its net-zero ambitions. Access to and usage of technological advancements combined with supportive policy frameworks are critical to ensuring that net-zero buildings form the core of our fight against climate change and the driving force in our journey towards our net-zero goals. It is important to remember that investing in building green cities today will go a long way towards securing a liveable planet for generations to come.
