THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Four office buildings in the state - two each in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi - are among the first 49 buildings nationwide that have been awarded star rating by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), a statutory body under the Union Power Ministry.
The Kochi offices of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Wipro Ltd have received fivestar ratings, the highest, while the RBI office and the Southern Railway Deputy Regional Manager’s Office in Thiruvananthapuram have received four stars and three stars respectively.
The ratings are indicators of how well energy is managed in office buildings. Similar to that given to hotels, the ratings count from one star to five depending on the degree of energy efficiency. Star ratings are part of a BEE campaign to promote energy conservation in office buildings across the country.
Energy management and conservation are once again top news with the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) predicting an impending power crisis. Daily power consumption, according to the KSEB, has hit unprecedented levels even before the summer season has officially begun.
Twenty-one RBI buildings have made it to the BEE list with varying levels of energy efficiency, while only two buildings connected to electricity - the Vidyut Bhavan in Jaipur and the APTRANSCO Vidyut Soudha, Hyderabad, are on the list.
Star ratings are determined by an Energy Performance Index (EPI) calculated through the formula Kilowatt Hour per square meter per year (kWh/sqm/year). Building owners can apply to BEE by paying Rs 1 lakh as registration fee. Office buildings with more than 50 percent air conditioned built-up area and buildings with less than 50 percent AC built-up area are rated separately. Periodical reviews by the BEE ensure that the conditions are adhered to.
"The country is divided into different climatic zones for the purpose of rating - composite, warm and humid; and hot and dry. The idea’s catching up. A lot of people are calling us up to know how to apply," said A.M. Narayanan, head, Energy Efficiency Division, Energy Management Centre (EMC). In Kerala, EMC represents BEE.
Tiki Rajwi
First Published : 24 Feb 2010 02:10:00 AM IST
Expressbuzz
No comments:
Post a Comment