Page 11 - Shelter - April 2023

THEME PAPER

stock is tripling its energy California has maintained per technologies is possible even
performance index (EPI) capita electricity consumption in commercial buildings
with commercial buildings to be nearly flat over the (Singh et al., 2018). Vernacular
slated to average an energy past 40 years despite the dwellings that have low-
use intensity of ~100+ kWh/ GDP growing expansively. carbon construction and
sqm/year, as compared to This accomplishment operations, have been found
indigenous buildings at is due to investment in to be more resilient to climate
30-70 kWh/sqm/year. In research, development, and change when compared with
Class A office buildings with deployment of more efficient modern dwellings. There is
IT-intensive operations, a technologies, utility programs also increasing realisation
growing building typology, that help customers use and scientific validation in
EPI is already at ~300+ kWh/ those tools to lower their the prudence and frugality
sqm/year, a tripling that bills, and energy efficiency underlying vernacular
is attributable to a young standards for new buildings habitations that have as a rule
aspirational population, and appliances (NRDC, 2013). sustained on ‘close-looped’
exponential growth in cooling California has implemented local ecosystem services.
loads given the rapidly policies to achieve net zero
warming cities, and increasing new construction through ZERO CARBON BUILT
computational loads and continuously revised and ENVIRONMENT: KEY
service levels (Singh et al., upgraded building codes and DRIVERS
2018). standards. California’s new Developing a low carbon
commercial buildings are scenario for India’s
Attaining low-carbon- expected to achieve net zero
pathway scenarios for India’s energy by 2030. commercial and residential
building sectors may assume
built environment may be
accelerated through robust Studies conducted at that India will gradually
benefits of international Lawrence Berkeley National develop net zero energy
and
buildings,
zero
net
collaboration. International Laboratory have found that
annual
building
R&D projects can provide through cost-effective passive energy construction market
new
findings beyond what one design and active energy penetration will grow to
team could achieve alone efficiency technologies and 100% in 2050. A potent
by bringing a breadth of controls, energy use intensity vision of a zero-carbon built
knowledge and skillsets in air-conditioned buildings environment promoting
and leveraging world-class can be effectively reduced equitable wellness and
expertise to conduct specific to an energy performance resilience may be achieved
and projected baseline and index (EPI) of ~50 kWh/m through three critical drivers:
2
mitigation models, data- in residential buildings and Decarbonise, Democratise,
driven policy evaluations, and ~65 kWh/m in commercial Digitalise as shown in Figure
2
technology assessments for buildings, and reduced 3 (Singh et al., 2021).
various high-growth building to 30 kWh/m 2 through
typologies. International mixed-mode ventilation The first driver,
collaboration can draw strategies. Achieving 30 decarbonisation is a
upon approaches, tools, and kWh/ sqm/year through fundamental need to address
successful technological energy efficiency relying on climate change and resilience
practices of countries such as a combination of traditional to withstand global warming
the United States. The US state wisdom and innovative and achieve net zero carbon in

April, 2023, Volume 24. No.1 - SHELTER 9