Urban Update April 2014

Title Code: DELENG18712

All India Institute of Local Self Government

Rs 100

UrbanUpdate Setting The Agenda For Tomorrow’s Cities

April 2014

Energy Efficiency

There’s Energy In Municipal Waste!

Tweaking Demand To Fine-Tune Supply Power-ful Buildings Retrofitting Can Energise Buildings Using Sun To Light Nights LEDs For A Brighter India

Less is

more Increasing shortfall of energy in today’s expanding cities warrants its efficient use

Green Buildings For Sustainable Cities Sustainable development is a necessity, not an option

Turning Lights Off To Switch Life On

The 60-minute lights-off shapes up into a symbolic movement

INSIDE

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Inside Cover Story

16 Less Is More

Energy efficiency is a useful tool in meeting urban power demand 23 There’s Energy In Municipal Waste!

India has realised only 2% of its waste-to-energy potential 24 DSM: Tweaking Demand To Fine-Tune Supply

Energy demand-supply gap warrants a carrot and stick policy 28 Power-ful Buildings

Net-zero building concept is gaining momentum in the country 31 Retrofitting Can Energise Buildings

Rewards from energy savings is greater than cost of devices 32 Using Sun To Light Nights

India strives to make use of renewable energy in its cities 34 LEDs For A Brighter India

Demand for energy-efficient lighting systems is rising

Column 36 Green Buildings For Sustainable Cities

Sustainable development is a necessity, not an option, writes Mala Singh

Centre Stage 40 Turning Lights Off To Switch Life On

The annual 60-minute lights-off shapes up

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April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

into a symbolic movement

Regulars Newscan Products Events Urban Agenda

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EDITORIAL

DR. JATIN MODI PRESIDENT-AIILSG RANJIT CHAVAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & PUBLISHER DIRECTOR GENERAL-AIILSG APRESH C MISHRA MANAGING EDITOR NIRMAL ANSHU RANJAN EXECUTIVE EDITOR LOJY THOMAS, AIILSG ASSOCIATE EDITOR JESSY IYPE DESK EDITOR & REPORTER MEENAKSHI RAJPUT GRAPHIC DESIGNER HEAD OFFICE PLOT NO. 6, F-BLOCK, BANDRA KURLA COMPLEX, TPS ROAD-12, BANDRA-EAST MUMBAI-400051, MAHARASHTRA VOLUME I - ISSUE II FOR FEEDBACK AND INFORMATION WRITE IN AT info@urbanupdate.in PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY RANJIT CHAVAN ON BEHALF OF ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT PRINTED AT CIRRUS GRAPHICS PVT LTD B-61, SECTOR-67, NOIDA – 201301 UTTAR PRADESH. PUBLISHED AT PLOT NO. 6, F-BLOCK, BANDRA KURLA COMPLEX, TPS ROAD-12, BANDRA-EAST MUMBAI-400051, MAHARASHTRA DESPITE CAREFUL SELECTION OF SOURCES, NO RESPONSIBILITY CAN BE TAKEN FOR ACCURACY. THE MAGAZINE ASSUMES NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY OF ANY KIND IN CONNECTION WITH THE INFORMATION THEREOF. ALL RIGHT RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER.

Urbanism and renewable energy

I

n recent times, urbanisation in India has seen a rapid increase, causing a mushrooming growth of slums, intense pressure on infrastructure resources, shortfall in basic municipal services such as water and sanitation, inadequate waste disposal, recurring epidemics, degradation of farmlands, etc. But thankfully, technological advances, environmental imperatives and economic pressures are together pushing growth in non-conventional energy to supplement the conventional.

Faced with grim predictions of energy supply and depleting fossil fuel reserves, cities are responding with greater efforts to capture and cultivate renewable resources. There is an apparent urge to develop sustainable and renewable energy sources by enhancing use of wind, solar, geothermal and biomass energy, and search continues with greater zeal to find cleaner, smarter and more conscientious methods of energy production, transmission and distribution.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)’s quest to diversify its energy sources and push a clean energy component into the grid has received a huge boost in the 2013-14 budget, where it indicates government’s readiness to spend INR 33,000 crore in the related initiatives.

But, if India intends to develop energy-independent cities, deriving most of their energy from renewable sources, it must accelerate deployment of renewable energy-based smart mini-grid (SMG) systems. It is up to the local governments to influence the energy choices of their citizens. Renewable, clean energy should be the ultimate goal of the government. Several leading and progressive cities and towns across the world have already taken innovative decisions to enhance deployment and use of renewable energy resources within their geographic boundaries.

While it is needed that more and more Indian cities start using renewable energy, it is a pleasant experience to see many cities already trying to identify the local renewable energy resources and reviewing the state-of-the-art technologies. But, it would require a comprehensive renewable energy plan drawn in conjunction with the municipal, regional and state governments with clearly defined policies, guidelines and incentives to make the whole idea work.

Coming together of volunteer agencies, and social institutions to promote use of renewable energy can be a strong initiative in this regard, as that would work for change in a bottom-up manner rather than a government-funded operation that takes its directions in the top-down fashion.

www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

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Urban India to contribute 75% of GDP by 2020: Barclays With cities fast turning into economic hubs and the government’s lavish investments into urban infrastructure and services fuelling the trend, the sector is all set to zoom past the previous growth projections of making about 70 percent contribution to the GDP by 2030 MUMBAI: With cities rapidly becoming into hubs of economic activity and the government focussing on improving infrastructure and allied services there, the urban sector is likely to contribute nearly 70-75 percent of the GDP by 2020, says a Barclays report.

“The urban sector could witness a revival as the government has started taking many measures on improving infrastructure and services. It is focusing on increasing subsidies for cooking gas, electricity and piped water and is also taking various initiatives to improve urban infrastructure and organised sector jobs,” the report said.

According to the report, these initiatives could drive the growth

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of the sector, which is likely to contribute nearly 70-75 percent of the India’s GDP. Currently, urban sector constitutes 63 percent of the GDP, up from 45 percent in 1990. The ongoing 12th Five Year Plan has earmarked USD 1 trillion for infrastructure spends.

Barclays observed that there has been a shift in government spends from rural to urban sector of late.

“The government’s policy focus has had a rural bias over the past decade. Budgeted funds for rural development during the past 10 years have been nearly 8-10 times the funds spent on urban development.

Thus, while real urban wages have stagnated over the past five years, real rural wages have seen a healthy 7

THE URBAN TRUTH ♦♦ Indian Cities are fast turning into hubs of economic activities that are driving sustained growth ♦♦ Currently, country’s urban sector contributes 63% of the total GDP ♦♦ Govt’s urban sector spends were 8-10 times less than in rural sector ♦♦ Govt focus has shifted to urban infrastructure and other allied services ♦♦ Urban Population will rise from 31% to 35% by 2020 ♦♦ Urban sector’s revival will benefit various other sectors

percent CAGR,” it said.

However, the report also pointed out that the allocation to the rural employment guarantee scheme has fallen 40 percent year-on-year in FY14, growth in the minimum support price (MSP) of foodgrains is 5 percent compared to a 12 percent CAGR over the previous five years, while the real wage growth in rural areas has been less than 5 percent.

On the other hand, only 31 percent of the population is currently urbanised. “With high population density and low GDP per capita, urbanisation trends have scope to significantly accelerate.”

The research firm expects urban India would house 35 percent of the population by 2020. Barclays further said with a per capita GDP of USD 3,000, the urban sector is similar to middle-income economies.

The report believes urban sector’s revival could benefit various other sectors as well. “This will boost urban consumption like the premium end of consumer staples and four wheelers; services sector like consumer banking, private healthcare, telecom data services and Internet; and infrastructure and real estate sectors,” the report concluded.

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NEWSCAN

Discoms want peak-hour tariff for households

NEW DELHI: To ease the load of fluctuated electricity bills on consumers during the peak demand in summers, power distribution companies (Discoms) BSES Yamuna, BSES Rajdhani and Tata Power Delhi have proposed extending the time-ofthe-day (ToD) tariff to domestic consumers with a sanctioned load of 10kW and above. The proposal was made in the tariff petitions submitted to the regulator, Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC), earlier this year. If DERC accepts the idea, it could be incorporated in the tariff schedule for 2014-15. Currently, the ToD tariff is paid only by industrial and commercial category consumers with a load of 5 kW. The petition

by Tata Power Delhi says the proposal aims to cover significant electricity consumption and benefit a reasonably large number of consumers through the ToD tariff.

Ludhiana streets set to get 13,000 LED lights

LUDHIANA: The Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (LMC) is going to install LED lights at 13,000 points across the city. The move follows the successful testing of 101 LED lights on Chhoti Jawaddi road, near Shaheed Karnail Singh Nagar for around two months and comparison of electricity bills of sodium bulbs and LED lights. The pilot project is being carried out by EESL, New Delhi. The LMC installed LED lights of 30 watts and 60 watts each in place of sodium bulbs of 70 watts and 150 watts after a 45-day study found the LED lights were ‘satisfactory’.

Model codes, unstable govt wear down Delhi’s roads NEW DELHI: Recarpeting of roads, which are in a good condition, is a usual sight before every election, but not so in Delhi. Bearing the brunt

of successive model code of conduct — one before the Assembly elections last December and the present one for the Lok Sabha elections, the cold weather and the lack of a stable government in Delhi are the capital’s roads. Work for which tenders were floated after the model code for the Assembly polls ended are being taken up now. According to PWD, which is responsible for the maintenance of a majority of roads in Delhi, since recarpeting of roads cannot be taken up during cold weather, the work has been taken up now.

BUSINESS OF POWER: India and the US recently agreed to continue their collaboration in the energy sector during the India-US Energy Dialogue. Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia and US Department of Energy Secretary Dr Ernest Moniz are seen at the Dialogue

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Online car pooling comes as respite for Bengaluru

BENGALURU: As the IT hub of the country sees many professionals pace up with the problem of haphazard office timing, an online car pooling service is seeking to lure the techies. RidingO, a Bengaluru-based car pooling services agency is shifting its focus from the mass to specific professional segments, such as IT engineers. RidingO is also tying up with Electronic City here to bring IT professionals to use car pooling.

According to the promoters, RidingO helps people share empty seats inside their car while commuting between home and office, by using web and mobile technologies. RidingO was recently featured in Forbes as the hottest global start-up of 2013. It is supported by Nasscom’s 10,000 Start-ups programme.

BMC floats tenders for pre-monsoon road work

MUMBAI: The civic body has floated tenders for pre-monsoon road maintenance work which is expected to reduce by half the expenses on pothole repairs incurred in the past few years. The move is a welcome change from past practice when the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had planned similar work last year, but it wasn’t done. The expenses for pothole repairs alone have shot up to over Rs 50 crore over the past five years. In 2013-14, the BMC spent Rs 57 crore for such repair work, but it has budgeted just Rs 28 crore for repair of potholes in 2014-15.

L&T to train construction engineers CHENNAI: Larsen & Toubro is roping in more academic institutions to train engineers as construction technology managers. It has tied up with IIT Madras and IIT Delhi for the Build India Scholarship (BIS) programme, and has brought on board NIT Trichy in Tamil Nadu and NIT Suratkal in Karnataka.

L&T sponsors engineering graduates interested in pursuing M Tech in construction technology and trains them to be construction technology managers capable of designing major construction works.

NEWSCAN

Poor sanitation in urban ghettos raises concern

NEW DELHI: Poor sanitation has been a persisting problem in unregularised areas of major cities of the country, raising concerns about maintaining hygiene in those areas, underlined a national convention here on March 25. About 400 delegates from various parts of India, along with women and people from marginalised communities, attended the convention on the Right to Sanitation where they discussed and put forward the problems they face in day-to-day life, including poor defecation facilities. The convention urged all political parties to unite and support the cause of right to sanitation.

Ahmedabad tries afresh for heritage status

AHMEDABAD: In March 2011, the city was among the three Indian cities to make it to UNESCO’s tentative list of World Heritage Cities. Ahmedabad has 36 ASI-protected structures that represent the essence of community living, and a Heritage Cell – the city is first in India to have one – to implement a revitalisation programme for historic sites. Yet, according to Municipal Commissioner Guruprasad Mohapatra, the city will have to wait for another year for all formalities to be completed. “A part of the dossier on Ahmedabad for nomination as the World Heritage City has been submitted. Experts are still working on the management plan which is also part of the report,” Mohapatra said.

Kerala may separate engg, planning wings KOZHIKODE: With a view to ensuring smooth functioning and avoiding delays in executing ward-level public works, councillors in the Kozhikode City Corporation (KCC) have demanded the formation of separate engineering and town planning sections. The councillors have alleged that the merger of the two sections in 2005 had delayed execution of public works comprising construction and repair of roads in the ward, construction of drainages and covering open slabs and road surface improvements works.

SMALL TURNS BIG: Hounded by the fears of saturation in big cities, India’s large mall developers are heading towards smaller towns to tap the markets there. Potential of mall business in tier-II and tier-III cities is still relatively unexplored, they believe

Kolkata is world’s 7th riskiest city

Urban transport will need $140bn by ’30: Barclays

LONDON: Kolkata has emerged as the world’s 7th riskiest city in terms of exposure to all types of natural disasters, according to the World’s Riskiest Cities 2014 report released on March 26. An assessment of 616 cities for their risk of earthquake, hurricanes and cyclones, storm surge, river flooding and tsunami has found that 17.9 million Kolkatans face the risk from disasters.

When it comes to only the threat of river floods,

MUMBAI: To strengthen the urban transport system, the country will need to invest around $140 billion by FY’30, according to a Barclays report. “Increasing urbanisation is pushing up vehicle sales amid constraints on increasing road density. This will lead to increased spends on transport infrastructure and we see this emerging as a multi-year capex theme,” the report said. Barclays assessment of 35 major cities on various socio-economic parameters suggests that mass transit rail systems should be a high priority in 12 cities with bus rapid transit systems (BRTS) acting as feeder services. The report suggests the country needs over 2,500 km of metro rail and 5,500 km of BRTS network.

Bengaluru plans traffic tax to ease tailbacks 10.5 million Kolkatans are at risk. The city is also fifth in terms of tsunami risk, with more than half a million people exposed.

It is also threatened by hurricanes. Tokyo has emerged the riskiest city in the world from all types of natural disasters, while Manilla is the second riskiest city followed by the Pearl River Delta, Osaka, Jakarta, Nagoya, Kolkata and Shanghai.

BENGALURU: In its bid to find a solution to the impending traffic menace in the city, the state’s Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) may soon choose the option of imposing traffic tax on private vehicles for causing jams. Private vehicle users on busy roads in the city may soon have to pay a toll during peak hours by way of congestion tax. Between 2008 and 2011, the travel time in the city shot up and the total delay for a vehicle increased from 12 to over 30 minutes. At the present rate, by 2030, city traffic would be moving at a speed of just 10 km per hour. The tax system is already in place in London and various European cities. www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

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Car parking in South Delhi may cost Rs 100 NEW DELHI: Seeing the apathetic condition of vehicle parking in the capital, the transport department has sought a way to charge as much as Rs. 100 as parking fees in the highly crowded South Delhi. A proposal in this regard has already been sent to remunerative project (RP) cell.

Currently, Delhiites pay Rs. 10 for 10 hours and Rs. 20 for 24 hours across the city. Once implemented, these premium parking lots will discourage people from getting their vehicles and go for public transport, an official said. Currently, Delhiites pay Rs. 10 for 10 hours and Rs. 20 for 24 hours in the municipal parking lots across the city. The NDMC had revised its rates from June 30, 2013, with Rs. 20 for one hour and Rs. 100 for five hours. However, these rates are yet to be implemented.

TERI launches tool to map solar power NEW DELHI: With a view to promoting the recovery and reliability of renewable energy, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) launched an open-source, cloudbased GIS tool to estimate rooftop solar power potential for Indian cities. The initiative aims to create a high performing and flexible tool to collectively estimate solar power prospects for cities in the country. The first city to use this tool is Chandigarh, with other cities expected to follow soon. The tool was launched at a conference here, titled “Accelerated Deployment of Rooftop Solar PV Systems in India” recently.

End fuel subsidy to reduce pollution, suggests PHFI NEW DELHI: Ending unsustainable fuel subsidies is one of the major actions required to reduce ambient air pollution in the country, says the

April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

NEW DELHI: The Centre has brought out the ‘draft’ notification on Western Ghats reducing the originally earmarked Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) by 3,115sqkm. This reduces the ESA from existing 59,940sqkm to 56,825sqkm. The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) had reduced the area following Kerala’s strong protest against the Centre’s previous order. The ESA — spread over Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala — is meant for making the earmarked zone a ‘no-go area’ for mining, quarrying, big constructions and setting up industries.

Recycled plastics for road construction Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI). A PHFI paper released here recently said that diesel exhaust is a major contributor to transport emissions, especially of particulate matter. With 49 percent of all new cars in India running on diesel (the cost of which is subsidised by the government), it poses a major challenge, it said.

It is important to update outdated emission regulations and to gradually phase out diesel subsidies, it added.

LED TO FUTURE: Philips Lighting has signed Shruti Hassan and Ranbir Kapoor as Brand Ambassadors to promote the sales of its LED products. A US-based research firm Reportlinker.com recently forecast that India’s LED market will grow to $1,457.8 million by 2019

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Fresh order on ‘no-go areas’ in Western Ghats

NEW DELHI: Aamir Khan’s popular teleserial ‘Satyamev Jayate 2’ recently gave insights on the persistent issue of waste accumulation and how through effective waste management solution can be found to the problem. In the show, scientist Dr S R Maley stated that if waste is treated as wealth, it can be re-used and recycled adding that plastics can be used to make roads. A unique patented technique by Prof Vasudevan effectively uses discarded plastic to build roads. Prof Vasudevan has urged different state governments to use model for free. It was suggested that waste management work should employ thousands of waste collectors who earn a livelihood by collecting garbage.

UD Secy reviews Kolkata tramways service KOLKATA: Union Urban Development Secretary Sudhir Krishna recently carried out a hands-on review of the tramways service’s functioning in the metropolis.

He took a ride on a tram car both in the North and South of the city. Later, Krishna told reporters that the Centre had been suggesting that all major cities introduce light train transit system (LRTS) like the tramways for mass transport. Mr Krishna said the cities could also opt for other LRTS modes like monorail and nonmotorised mass transport system in an integrated manner.

NEWSCAN

Poor feeder Centre advises states to services hit levy congestion fee monorail

MUMBAI: It seems the enthralling monorail, depicted as an optimum solution for the massive populace in the city was a short-lived dream; the services are seeing a dip in its ridership due to poor feeder services, both public and private.

According to official figures, from 1.36 lakh passengers in first week, the figure has come down to 92,771.

The reason behind the low footfall is not enough feeder bus service from Wadala. The Wadala monorail station, in fact, is in a remote location where it’s difficult to find any other alternate means of transport.

Experts opine, most monorail users from Chembur buy return tickets to avoid getting down at Wadala.

The Brihamumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) had planned bus services near monorail stations, but so far has not announced any.

“It’s been only a month. We are trying to get an idea of the ridership before we start new services,” said BEST spokesperson AS Tamboli.

“Initially, a lot of people took joyrides on monorail. Once we get an idea of the passenger density, we will start feeder bus services.”

Some commuters feel the BEST bus on route number 60, which runs between Kurla railway station (East) and Anik depot in Sion, could be easily extended to Wadala station.

Mumbai metropolitan regional development authority (MMRDA) commissioner Urvinder Pal Singh Madan said that ridership had not fallen, but stabilised. “It will increase once we complete the entire 20-km monorail stretch,” he said.

Monorail currently operates from Chembur to Wadala and will be extended to Jacob Circle later.

NEW DELHI: The Union Urban Development Ministry has advised the state governments to impose congestion charge to discourage use of private vehicles in business districts of cities across the country, reports the English daily DNA. In the advisory, the ministry asked the states to identify congested areas and the central business district (CBD) in each city or town, hoping that imposition of new tax will reduce the number of vehicles and also encourage people to use public transport, the newspaper wrote.

According to a senior ministry official, as transport is a state subject, the Union Government wants the states to find out its own modalities including the amount to be charged and where to charge. “Initially, the state governments can introduce manual permit or coupon as was done in Singapore when it was first introduced,” the report quoted the official as saying.

The ministry told the states that these charges are to be imposed as a measure to decongest a particular area or CBD and to increase use of other modes of transport such as cycles.

Along with the advisory, the

♦♦ Fee proposed to discourage use of private vehicles ♦♦ States told to identify congested areas in each city ♦♦ The concept is operational in London, Singapore, EU cities ministry has also sent two case studies from London and Singapore to the state governments. “The concept is new to India, but globally congestion charge is an old concept.

Several cities across the globe, including Singapore, London, Rome, Stockholm, Milan and Seoul use them to charge private vehicles in CBDs,” he added.

The ministry feels that congestion charges may act as a deterrent to excessive use of private vehicles.

“There is huge volume of private vehicles on limited road space causing traffic jams and endangering life of people on the roads. There is a need to discourage use of private vehicles in selected areas frequented by the large number of people,” the news daily quoted the official.

The Union Government has also promised to provide funding up to 80 percent for taking up study on congestion charges in cities. www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

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NEWSCAN

Solid-state lighting can cut bills by 90%!

RAIPUR: A new concept called solidstate lighting (SSL) that can reduce the electricity bills by 90 percent will be introduced in the market soon, former Director of IIT-Kanpur Prof KL Chopra has announced. Prof Chopra explained what solid-state lighting is while addressing a national conference on ‘Recent Trends of Photonics’ held in Raipur University. “In the set-up, bigger bulbs giving out white light will be used, which will be larger than the size of LED bulbs. It will reduce the electricity consumption by many folds,” he said.

Wikipedia explains SSL as a type of lighting that uses semiconductor LEDs, organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), or polymer light-emitting diodes (PLED) as sources of illumination rather than electrical filaments, plasma, or gas.

India’s LED market to hit $1,458mn by 2019: Report NEW YORK: India’s LED market is set to reach over $1,457.8 million by 2019, at a compound annual growth rate CAGR of 35.9 percent during 2014-19, says a report

by Reportlinker.com. Recent government initiatives to replace incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs, increasing energy demand supply gap and declining prices of these bulbs are the factors driving the growth of LED lighting in India, according to the US-based global researchers. Street lighting applications account for majority of the market revenues in Indian LED lighting market, it added.

‘Indian cities lack basic amenities’ BENGALURU: Indian cities are “visibly deficient in the services they provide,” Isher Judge Ahluwalia, Chairperson, Indian Council for Research on International

Economic Relations (ICRIER), said. “Who would want to invest in our industry and services sectors if our cities cannot provide basic amenities?” was Ms Ahluwalia’s poser as she spoke at the 39th annual convocation of the IIM-B. She urged young graduates to “use your management training to fix our cities”. If India is to attract skilled people, it is necessary to improve our cities in terms of providing better public transport facility, solid waste management system besides providing drinking water and good roads, she said.

AQUATIC BEAUTIES: Surat Municipal Corporation’s aquarium project is first of its kind of multi-disciplinary underwater aquarium in India. Constructed at a cost of about Rs 20 crore, the aquarium is spread over 25,722 SqMt space at Jagdishchandra Bose Udyan of the city

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April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

Cricketers bat for ‘airconditioned’ Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Bangalore’s State Pollution Control Board is planning to launch an innovative green initiative titled, Green Wicket, by roping in Indian cricketers like Anil Kumble and others. To convey this message to citizens, cricketer Javagal Srinath has joined Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid and Robin Uthappa in spearheading Green Wicket, a campaign to make students more conscious about waste segregation, water conservation, saving energy and maintaining hygiene. It was launched by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) recently.

India-US to work more in energy sector NEW DELHI: India and the United States have agreed to bolster collaboration in the energy sector. At the India-US Energy Dialogue here recently, both countries agreed to promote scientific cooperation, research and development for greater technological innovation and for deployment of environmentally-friendly technologies and products. The expected expanding trade and sound regulatory frameworks would emerge to deliver energy solutions for sustainable growth of economies of both the countries for the benefit of their people.

MP, UP units flout waste disposal norms NEW DELHI: Coal mines and thermal plants in Singrauli and Sonebhadra districts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are not conforming to waste disposal rules while disposing of hazardous waste, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has been told by a panel set up by it. A bench headed by National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar had set up the fivemember panel to inspect industries in the two industrial districts and report their impact on environment on a plea by an advocate. The panel found that “procedure being followed by the industries regarding management of hazardous waste do not conform to provisions of Hazardous Waste (Management) Rules”.

NEWSCAN

Trams may be back on Delhi streets NEW DELHI: Having plied the roads of the national capital for over five decades, until the 1960s, the humble trams seem to be on their way back to Delhi streets, with LieutenantGovernor Najeeb Jung recently giving his nod to a proposal to reinstate them while redeveloping the Chandni Chowk stretch.

As part of a proposal for redevelopment of the Chandni Chowk area, Jung has approved a design to introduce trams in the 3-km-long stretch that connects Subash Marg with Fatehpuri Masjid.

The proposal involves a tram service that will connect the stretch linking Red Fort with Fatehpuri Masjid and will run alongside wide footpaths like the ones in Connaught Place, said a senior Delhi government official.

The vehicular traffic will be restricted in the area and only nonmotorised vehicles will be allowed.

However, there will be an emergency lane for ambulances.

In its heyday, trams were the ‘most convenient and cheap means of conveyance’. The tickets for commuting were priced at half an anna, one anna, two annas and four

♦♦ Trams plied roads of national capital from 1908 to 1963 ♦♦ LG consents proposal to reinstate trams in Old Delhi area ♦♦ Initial proposal for Subash MargFatehpuri Masjid stretch annas (the ticket for the longest route). The trams used to move so slowly that people could easily jump off and buy biryani and snacks and then board them again.

The trams that ran from 1908 to 1963 connected Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk and Sadar Bazaar and were just half as big as a Metro train.Trams were discontinued simply because there was no space for them due to the growing number of

vehicles in the city.

However, not all are pleased with the idea of bringing the trams back.

“There is a need to carry out a study to see if such a solution is financially feasible. There is some merit to the idea, but it should be taken up after a detailed project report to ascertain if it is a sustainable transport mode,’’ said P K Sarkar, former head of the department of transport planning at School of Planning and Architecture.

The Public Works Department (PWD) is the implementing agency for the project. The government is looking for technical partners like Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and tenders will be issued to invite investment proposals.

China’s super rich fleeing to avoid smog BEIJING: A recent survey provides the strongest evidence that China’s polluted cities risk driving away the rich, according to a report published in the online edition of CNN Money recently. Released in January by the Hurun Research Institute, the survey shows 64 percent of China’s rich (those with wealth above $1.6 million) are either immigrating to another country or planning to, a rise from 60 percent in the last poll two years ago.

Although the numbers of those emigrating have not yet reached a

♦♦ Chinese cities record alarmingly high levels of PM 2.5 ♦♦ 64% rich planning to move away to other countries ♦♦ They intend to settle in the US, Canada, EU countries critical mass, a lot of families are finding a lot of other rich families going overseas.Those who can avoid the smog, especially families with children, are escaping what a recent Chinese study reportedly called

‘unlivable’ cities like Beijing. They are seeking permanent residences in America and Canada, and European countries like Cyprus, Portugal, and the UK. Around half-a-dozen wealthy mothers spoken to in Beijing explained how pollution had some of them considering moving away.

They explained what a hard decision it was to make. China’s culture and language holds them back, but many of them are afraid for their children’s health, leading them to plan to go abroad. www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

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NEWSCAN

Linking small towns with mega cities suggested

MUMBAI: To cater to the rising needs of major metropolises, it is important to create urban ‘agglomerations’ by linking small towns and cities with the megacities, said noted economist and author Dr Isher Judge Ahluwalia at a meet in Mumbai recently while addressing issues related to urban planning and growth. “While I am all for creating new cities, planned cities, the challenge of renewing existing cities also needs to be tackled… We need to create agglomerations around major cities,” she said. Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan in his address said his government was thinking to bifurcate Thane district for better administration.

Plan of action drawn for Kochi UMTA

KOCHI: A six-point action plan has been drawn up for implementing Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) in the city at the two-day participatory workshop which concluded at Kochi Metro Rail Ltd’s (KMRL) office recently.

The action plan gives priority to provide statutory backing to UMTA by enacting special laws and legislations, and drafting operational procedures. This has to be followed by setting up an administrative structure for the proposed transport authority and putting an effective machinery in place for co-ordinating all forms of transport systems like buses, railway, water transport, taxi, autorickshaw services and other modes of public transport.

Air pollution killed 7mn in 2012: WHO NEW DELHI: New estimates released by the World Health Organisation state that about 7 million people in the world died because of exposure to air pollution

in 2012. This is an eighth of all deaths in the world.

With a total of 5.9 million pollution-related deaths, low- and middle-income countries in Southeast Asia — including India — and countries in the western Pacific were the worst off. The Central Government had set up a committee in January 2014 to examine the health effects of air pollution. The biggest culprits for indoor air pollution in countries like India are solid fuels like wood crop wastes, charcoal and coal used in open fires for cooking.

ICONIC: Namaste Tower is a 300 m (984 ft) tall skyscraper under construction in Mumbai, India. It will be a mixed use skyscraper with 62 floors that will house a 380-room W Hotel, office and retail space

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April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

Thane civic body to start scholarship studies

THANE: With an aim to provide students from underprivileged sections an opportunity to nurture their intellectual expertise, the Thane Municipal Corporation will introduce scholarship studies for students of civic schools beginning next academic year. According to sources, this project will help students think out of the box. The syllabus will include topics like current affairs, exercises that can improve their lateral thinking, among others. In addition, the administration will also ensure that all the students get personal attention. Also, no money will be taken from students and all the stationary will be provided to them totally free of cost.

Surat civic body’s aquarium project clicks SURAT: Gujarat first aquarium project in the diamond city seems to have become a big time money spinner for the civic body.

Since March 1, when the aquarium was thrown open to public, the state-of-the-art aquarium set up at Jagdish Chandra Bose Udyan in Pal has generated a revenue to the tune of Rs 15.43 lakh with the average daily income of Rs 59,000. Sources said around 42,610 people have visited the aquarium in the last 26 days. The number of visitors on Sundays go up to 4,500 with the highest revenue of Rs 1.92 crore generated on March 16.

Hyd civic body starts Rs 5 meal scheme HYDERABAD: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) recently launched a pilot centre of a scheme which would provide subsidised hot and hygienic meals to the poor for Rs 5 at Nampally Sarai. The GHMC, which plans to feed 15,000 people a day, will set up 50 such centres, each equipped to serve 300 people. The actual cost of the meal would be Rs 20. The Corporation will bear the balance cost. It has partnered with Akshaya Patra Foundation, run by Hare Krishna Movement, which will prepare the food. The civic body has earmarked Rs 11 crore for this in its 2014-15 budget.

NEWSCAN

Kolkata tries for hi-tech waste management

KOLKATA: Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) authorities will write to the state Housing & Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) to give an additional 10 acres for construction of eastern India’s most modern sanitary landfill for garbage disposal. The KMC had been denied the land on the ground that it had failed to build a second dumping ground with sanitary landfill facility in the past 10 years. Now, with JNNURM sanctioning a whopping Rs 152 crore for city’s waste management, civic officials are burning midnight oil to prepare a detailed project report for the landfill site at Rajarhat.

NMMC plans vigilance squad for transparency NAVI MUMBAI: The local civic body is planning to constitute a vigilance squad to ensure transparency in its administration.

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC)’s decision comes in the wake of Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) registering a case against former NMMC engineer Gasu Khan for amassing property disproportionate to his known sources of income. It has already begun the preliminary discussion to set up a squad. Recently, the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) had formed a vigilance department to end the alleged corruption and malpractices in its departments.

CURIOSITY DRIVEN: More than 300 women revved up their scooters, eager to crack ten clues in a span of less than two hours in Puducherry recently, organised by The Hindu

Delhi faces high flood risk: UN panel

Kolkata’s 4 urban bodies to be merged

NEW DELHI: After environmentalists warning that the growing encroachments on the Yamuna floodplains are a recipe for disaster, now it is the latest UN panel report on climate change that echoes these fears, bracketing Delhi with two other mega cities of the world facing high risk of flood. The other two cities facing similar risk are Tokyo and Shanghai, according to the latest report of the

KOLKATA: The state government is inching closer towards merging the four urban development bodies, Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), Kolkata Improvement Trust (KIT), Howrah Improvement Trust (HIT) and Kolkata Metropolitan Water and Sanitation Authority (KMWSA). Recently, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a meeting to discuss the issues related to urban planning. It was decided that the Municipal Affairs Department will prepare a note on the merger to ensure better coordination and planning. Chief Secretary Sanjay Mitra sent a letter to KMC Commissioner Khalil Ahmed on the decisions taken.

‘Safer Roads, Safer India’ contest begins

Benefits for UP’s urban poor after polls LUCKNOW: Urban poor living in the cities of UP will have to wait till the end of Lok Sabha elections to avail of benefits of a national scheme that could change their lives for the better by providing them employment and skill development. The state government has decided to select beneficiaries under the ambitious National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) after the elections. The scheme aims to provide employment and skill development to youth in cities with population of up to 1 lakh. The Centre would also fund 75 percent of the cost of construction of shelters and 25 percent would be the state’s contribution.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability — released on April 1. It says river floodplains need to be secured to be able to adapt to extreme weather, and recommends setting aside buffer zones along rivers instead of ‘hard defences’ like channelisation or dams.

AHMEDABAD: Registrations have started for ‘Safer Roads, Safer India’ competition with the aim to identify the best solutions announced by Ashoka, the international network of change makers, and organised by the Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the global safety science leader. Every hour 19 people are killed and 40 are left disabled due to road accidents in India. Annually road accidents create an estimated loss of 2 percent of the GDP by reducing valuable workforce and stressing the healthcare system. The competition aims to identify the best solutions in the categories of active citizenship, technology, policy and governance and smart urban design. www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

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COVER STORY

LESS IS

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COVER STORY

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n today’s technology-led times, energy is nothing short of a lifeline: the world economy is being driven by technology, where energy plays an indispensable role: it shapes our economy as also our daily life. Energy is required in both urban and rural areas, but demand is more pressing in India’s urban centres on account of rapid urbanisation.

Apart from running a whole gamut of industries from pottery to polished diamonds, fuel energy virtually dictates our daily life. It even helps our households run in a smooth manner. In fact, even a small hiccup in regular energy supply can threaten to cripple the nation’s economy and bring normal life to a grinding halt.

As cities grow in size, so does the demand for energy to power the nation’s ambitious march towards a robust economy, leading to a shift in the consumption pattern. This is especially true of India – one of the fastest growing economies in the world after China – where energy consumption grew faster in the last 10 years than in most parts of the world. The overall energy consumption in the country increased from 308 MToe (metric tonne oil equivalent) in 2002 to over 564 MToe in 2013.

India can be energy surplus if we push for a Green Building Revolution, adopt latest energy saving technologies, invest in renewable energy and run mass awareness campaigns about high-tech energyefficient products. There is a dire need to focus on T&D so as to reduce the losses to meet future energy demands Humongous demand

In fact, India has the fourth-largest energy demand after the US, China and Russia. Owing to factors such as inadequate energy supply, delays in clearances, project delays and lack of innovative technologies, the energy supply has failed to keep pace with the demand. As a result, there has been high dependence on energy imports which have resulted in soaring fuel prices, unprecedented inflation and debilitating industrial slowdown.

However, on the brighter side, India’s per-capita energy consumption is still much lower than that of developed countries and even of some developing countries. Its per-capita energy consumption is 0.6 toe, compared to the world average of 1.8 toe.

Ajay Mathur Director General Bureau of Energy Efficiency

At a time when India is trying to accelerate its development process, the low per-capita energy consumption level indicates that the nation’s energy demand has still a long way to go before it can be fully met. With its growing economy and nearly 378-million urban population aspiring for a better quality of life, the energy demand growth in cities is inevitable.

Trends & projections

Out of the 564 Mtoe of energy consumed in 2013, oil, natural gas and coal were the major fuel sources that accounted for 92 percent of the total energy consumption. Even though India boasts of abundant quantities of coal, her mining fields are spread out to too far off locations across the coun-

With Indian cities growing at a fast pace and its nearly 378-million people demanding their share of energy, raising the energy efficiency bar seems the most practical as well as most feasible option to address the present-day urban power challenges Nirmal Anshu Ranjan, Executive Editor

www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

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COVER STORY

1,464 2 9.7 92 Mtoe

India’s energy demand is projected to reach by 2035

try, making those sometimes difficult to access. Besides, high ash content in the domestic coal has been affecting thermal efficiency of power plants, raising numerous environmental concerns. In such a situation, India’s total annual energy output has been just a little over 60 percent, and rest has to be imported to fill the gap.

Projections suggest that India’s energy demand is set to reach 1,464 Mtoe in 2035, increasing by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.1 percent from 2009, which is more than double the world’s energy demand at a CAGR of 1.3 percent for the same period.

India’s share in the world energy demand is projected to increase from 5.5 percent in 2009 to 8.6 percent in 2035. The growth would come from all fuels. The largest demand growth would come from coal, almost tripling from 280 Mtoe in 2009 to 618 Mtoe in 2035 at a CAGR of 3.1 percent. Oil demand would show a considerable

%

%

India’s Waste-to-energy potential realised

Projected cagr of market growth

For building a green and energy-efficient future, we need to shift focus on automation and control of processes, measurement and verification of energy consumption, and integration of different systems in a facility such as access and security, life safety, building management systems, etc growth – from 159 Mtoe to 356 Mtoe at 3.1 percent. For natural gas, it would increase from 49 Mtoe in 2009 to 154 Mtoe in 2035. Demand for nuclear energy would reach 48 Mtoe in 2035 from 5 Mtoe in 2009, while renewable demand would grow to 36 Mtoe in 2035 from 2 Mtoe in 2009.

Energy guzzlers

As for sector-wise energy requirements, in 1990, the building sector

%

Oil, gas, and coal based energy used in 2013

Praveer Sinha CEO & ED, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd

was India’s largest energy consumer, representing 42 percent of the total primary energy demand (TPED), using biomass as the major fuel. However, its share dropped to 29 percent in 2009 and will decrease to about 18 percent by 2035.

The power sector has been the primary force behind the energy demand growth in the country. Its share increased from 23 percent to 38 percent of TPED from 1990 to 2009. This was

Conservation Vs Efficiency Energy conservation and energy efficiency are separate, but related concepts. Energy conservation is achieved when growth of energy consumption is reduced, measured in physical terms. Energy conservation is, therefore, a result of several processes or developments, such as productivity increase or technological progress.

On the other hand, energy efficiency is achieved when energy intensity in a specific product, process or area of production or consumption is reduced without affecting output, consumption or comfort levels. Promotion of energy efficiency will contribute to energy conservation and is, therefore, an integral part of energy conservation promotional policies.

Energy efficiency is often viewed as a resource option like coal, oil or natural gas. It provides additional economic value by preserving the resource base and reducing pollution. For example, replacing traditional light bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) means you will use only 1/4th of the energy to light a room. Pollution levels also reduce by the same amount.

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COVER STORY attributable to the soaring demand for electricity for industrial and residential/commercial activities. With this trend, the share of the power sector is likely to continue to grow to almost 42 percent in 2035.

The industry sector consumed approximately 22 percent of TPED in 1990 and is projected to remain similar until 2035. The transport sector represented 8 percent of energy in 1990 and will reach about 14 percent in 2035, a small but significant growth, as 90 percent of transport energy consumption will be oil based.

Even though energy management has a considerable potential to save energy and reduce costs, it has been an untapped area because of challenges like initial high costs, coupled with inadequate information on energy performance of appliances and equipment; financial, technical and transactions risks associated with the adoption of new energy-efficient technologies; and split incentives, especially in the buildings sector.

Energy efficiency management

Improving energy efficiency has never been higher up the business agenda.

Rising fuel prices mean that reducing energy use makes economic sense, while researches on climate change suggest that it makes social and environmental sense, too.

Considering the vast potential of energy savings and benefits of energy efficiency, the government brought a law known as the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, which became effective in 2002.

It requires large energy consumers to implement specific actions and introduce energy consumption labels and performance standards for electrical appliances. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) was created to implement those provisions. It was also entrusted with the task of developing energy auditing and energy performance evaluation mechanisms.

Besides, within the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) adopted in 2008, a National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency

India’s Energy Outlook for 2030 ♦♦ India’s primary energy demand will more than double by 2030, growing an average 3.6 percent every year, due to a strong economic growth. Electricity generation will account for much of the increase. ♦♦ India will overtake Japan to become the world’s third largest net importer of oil before 2025 after the United States and China. Much of India’s incremental energy needs by 2030 will have to be imported. ♦♦ Net oil imports will rise to 6 million barrels per day in 2030. ♦♦ Electricity generation capacity, most of it coal fired, will more than treble from 2005 to 2030. Gross capacity additions will total 400 gigawatts, equal to Japan, South Korea and Australia combined generation capacity today. ♦♦ About 96 percent of the population will have access to electricity in 2030 from 62 percent in 2005. ♦♦ Coal will remain the most important fuel and its use will almost treble between 2005 and 2030. ♦♦ Coal imports will increase almost seven-fold, accounting for 28 percent of India’s total coal needs in 2030 from 12 percent in 2005. ♦♦ India’s gas production will peak between 2020 and 2030, then fall. A growing need will be met by imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG). ♦♦ India needs $1.25 trillion in energy infrastructure from 2006 to 2030. Three quarters will go to the electricity sector.

Source: International Energy Agency – IEA

Energy Conservation Act, 2001 ♦♦ The EC Act provides for a legal framework to identify energy-intensive designated consumers with mandatory energy efficiency provisions ♦♦ Standardise and label energy-efficient appliances ♦♦ Create Energy Conservation Building Codes ♦♦ Create an Institutional setup (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) ♦♦ Establish the Energy Conservation Fund ♦♦ The Act became effective from March 1, 2002 ♦♦ Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) was also operationalised the same day

Low Carbon Levels: The Indian Edge ♦♦ Renewable energy’s share of total electric capacity in the country is more than twice that of the US ♦♦ India is among the top five countries in renewable capacity ♦♦ India’s carbon and energy use per unit of GDP are both already below that of the US and China, and seem to be on a decreasing trend ♦♦ India had about 12 vehicles per 1,000 people in 2007 compared to 800 in the US. ♦♦ Public and non-motorised modes of transport have the largest share of passenger travel in India. ♦♦ Industrial electricity tariffs are the highest in the world. ♦♦ Gasoline and diesel prices are higher than those in the US and China, even in market exchange terms

www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

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COVER STORY (NMEEE) was also launched with several targets for 2014-2015, including annual fuel savings of at least 23 Mtoe, a cumulative avoided electricity capacity addition of 19,000MW and a CO2 emission mitigation of 98 Mt. These initiatives were chiefly aimed to promote: ♦♦ Energy-efficient consumer appliances by enforcing energy labelling ♦♦ Energy-efficient commercial building designs based on an Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) ♦♦ Energy conservation in buildings and municipalities through performance contracting by energy service companies, or ESCOs ♦♦ Market transformation towards energy-efficient appliances, such as CFLs, through demand-side management programmes; and ♦♦ Enhanced focus on energyefficiency investments in industry due to energy data reporting and benchmarking practices.

In addition, another set of energy management standards is also in the pipeline to provide organisations with a roadmap for ensuring that their energy use is efficient to the extent possible. A number of innovative solutions for energy management are available today, thanks to changes in policy, advancement in technology, consumer awareness and process redesign.

Green architecture, advanced energy monitoring, development of green business ideas and analysis of latest global trends of clean energy can together help us in building a sustainable future.

The future belongs to energy-efficient infrastructure, where buildings are not only consumers but also generators of energy Power in towers

The reason why the power sector has been the prime propeller to the energy demand in urban India lies in the fact that the present-day cities are powerintensive to a great extent. With all the four sectors – buildings, power, transport and industry – requiring their share of electricity, an intelligent rationalisation of its generation, consumption and an efficient management of the precious commodity seem the way forward.

This can be brought about relatively more easily in the buildings sector that represents one of the largest energy-consuming sectors in the economy, with over one-third of all energy and half of global electricity consumed there. As a result, they are also responsible for approximately onethird of global carbon emissions. With improvements in economic development and living standards expected to increase, energy use in the buildings sector is also set to rise sharply, placing pressure on the energy system.

Dr Prem C Jain Chairman, IGBC Chairman, Aecom India

Incorporating energy-efficiency measures in new and existing buildings will help India achieve a reliable energy future and save money while addressing the threat of climate change. Developers, building owners and tenants are essential to achieving the energy-efficiency benefits of reduced energy use, cost savings, market advantage and, finally, the goal of sustainable urban development.

Transport infrastructure

High rates of population growth, urbanisation and the emerging middle class’ aspiration to use private motor vehicles are causing fast expansion in fuel needs. It is, therefore, a necessity to raise an efficient transport system that meets the demands but consumes as little energy as possible. This is crucial, as fast and safe transportation of people and goods is also a prerequisite for economic growth. Considering the challenges of climate change, limited oil resources, rising energy prices, environmental pollution and

Megawatt Vs ‘Negawatt’ One of the latest concepts doing the rounds in the energy sector is that of ‘Negawatt’, which refers to a negative Megawatt on account of reducing energy needs. The Integrated Energy Policy (IEP) of 2008 pointed out that “a unit of energy saved by a user is greater than a unit produced, as it saves on production, transport, transmission and distribution losses.”

On this basis, the IEP suggests that Energy Service Companies as negawatt producers could be given the same incentives as other renewable companies. Experts also believe there is a huge potential for saving of energy in India. An estimated, a combined 42 percent of emission reduction in India during 2010-50 would come from energy efficiency improvements in power generation and end-use fuel and electricity consumption.

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COVER STORY health risks, it is essential that meet the demand for transport.

Adopting energy efficiency as the underlying idea while erecting the transport infrastructure will not just help reduce the energy costs, but also curtail congestion, noise emissions, local air pollution and accident risks while ensuring economic growth. Besides, employing intelligent operation control and traffic management systems for traffic lights, roads, railways, light rails, metro trains, automated guided transport vehicles, and commuter and regional trains, as well as for tolls, parking, tunnel, and signal and electrification systems can together reduce energy consumption substantially and in an environmentfriendly way.

Commuters in Delhi travelling from Ambedkar Nagar and Delhi Gate to the city’s centre are set to enjoy a smooth ride soon along the 14.5-kilometer stretch. To ease travel time, an intelligent transport management system is being installed that will continuously monitor the traffic situation and direct over 600 traffic signals to function according to the flow of traffic. By keeping the traffic moving, the system will also help reduce fuel consumption and air pollution.

Faster Mumbai trains

Similarly, Mumbai’s suburban trains carry over 7.1 million passengers daily.

With up to 16 people per square meter, these trains have the highest passenger density in the world. With the smart technology, the trains can now reach upto 100 km per hour, compared to the previous 80 km, saving commuters up to 20 minutes a day each way. In addition, an economical propulsion system also reduces annual energy costs by Rs 5 million per train.

As India urbanises and builds infrastructure rapidly, it needs to put a smart policy to ensure efficiency to meet the insatiable demand.

Direct your queries to nirmal@urbanupdate.in

LeaderSpeak

Behaviour change can oil energy efficiency wheels

T

Dr Jatin Modi President, AIILSG

he widening gap between energy demand and supply in today’s growing cities is a cause of worry. As a feasible way to energy sufficiency, the world is exploring ways to promote energy efficiency – be it through innovative technologies in production and distribution or enforcing demand side management effectively.

At policy level, the government has put in place a three-pronged approach involving regulatory and fiscal measures, and incentivising judicious use of energy to encourage energy efficiency in the country. Civic bodies are also enforcing energy efficiency through various measures, like installation of LED street lights, adaption of new technologies in water supply, energy audits, etc.

However, alongside these measures, efforts to bring about behavioural changes in consumers will play a crucial role towards attaining energy efficiency in urban areas. Reports suggest there is huge potential for energy conservation in measures targeting behavior of people. In this regard, community-based initiatives like groups sharing information can lead to long-term behavioural changes. Various communication tools and techniques can also be adopted for devising engagement plans in community-led approach.

Citizens need appropriate frames

of reference on the consequences of excessive energy consumption.

Combining direct and indirect feedback from energy suppliers will also be successful in changing people’s consumption pattern.

Similarly, initiating friendly competitions to track energy usage reductions or instituting awards for groups for best conservation efforts can also pay dividends.

Recognising and thanking people for their desirable behaviour sends positive signals to those rewarded and encourages others to do the same. Rewards can be financial, but according respect, visibility and credibility can be equally or even more soughtafter motivational incentives in a working environment.

Besides, ensuring that there is regular communication within a community through intranet, social media platforms and face-toface interactions will help keep the momentum going.

The amount of energy consumed by equipment is only a part of the equation when it comes to energy efficiency. The behaviour of staff and customers plays a big part as they more often than not have direct control of equipment and may not know how to operate those efficiently. Good behaviour starts with good practices, engagement and management, all of which bear significance when it comes to managing the use of energy. www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

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COVER STORY

‘Huge scope for energy efficiency in India’ On account of relatively lower levels of technological upgradation and lack of adequate resource allocation for such projects, there is tremendous scope for energy efficiency in the country.

Current initiatives

Debashish Tripathy Vice President, IL&FS

Although the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has undertaken a number of initiatives to broad-base energy efficiency across sectors — from consumer goods (star rating) to industrial sector (Perform, Achieve and Trade – PAT) to municipal domain — it has had limited successes.

In order to make a serious effort towards a more energy-efficient economy, the gov-

Energy efficiency needs high visibility capital as it impacts low visibility production

ernment needs to create a mechanism that treats such projects as distinct stand-alone projects and not just part of piecemeal upgradation of assets/equipment/plants.

This would need to be further buttressed with specific tariff-based incentives for energy inputs (fuel, electricity, etc.) to encourage active participation of users. Such a model would also attract private sector/ bilateral and multilateral funding as well as debt financing from banks.

The Roadmap

Energy efficiency is part attitude and part awareness. However, while energy efficiency impacts the low visibility cost of production, it requires high visibility capital investments. This makes it a hard-sell internally and needs to be driven by financial incentives. At the same time, a continuous effort on capacity building and awareness creation needs to be undertaken.

‘India needs to speed up major initiatives’ Energy efficiency is a necessity for India, especially the urban India. As the country is urbanising at an unforeseen pace and scale, growing power requirements of the cities cannot be met for long with the available resources alone. So, its efficient use is the way forward.

Cost-effectiveness

Generation of even 1 MW of electricity costs huge money. But if the same 1 MW can be saved through rational utilisation of power and plugging misuse and wastage at various levels, it comes almost free – at no extra cost.

Also, 1 MW power gets reduced to 500 KW by the time it reaches the end-user due to transmission and distribution (T&D) losses, due to myriad issues. That way, one can valuate 1 MW of power saved as 2 MW of power generated.

22 April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

Wastage in cities

A lot of power wastage takes place in the municipal sector, be it while supplying potable water, street-lighting or handling waste. Although attempts have been made to save energy for quite some time, the pace of initiatives has been woefully slow; it needs to be speeded up.

Besides, the government needs to run recurrent awareness campaigns to educate people about the importance of energy conservation and motivate them for individual initiatives to promote energy efficiency. Incentivised tariff structure can also come in handy in this context.

S D Bhattad Energy Auditor DRA Consultants Pvt Ltd

The government needs to educate people about the importance of energy conservation

COVER STORY

There’s energy in Municipal Waste!

As India struggles to meet the rising demand for energy in the country, experts see adoption of renewable energy as the way forward, and assert that India has so far realised only a miniscule of its huge waste-to-energy potential Team Urban Update

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ndia boasts of a potential to generate about 1,700MW -1,500MW from MSW and 225MW from sewage-of green energy from urban waste and about 1,300MW from industrial waste. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is actively promoting generation of energy from waste by providing subsidies and incentives for the projects.

The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) estimates suggest that the country has so far realised only about 2 percent of its waste-to-energy potential. A market analysis from Frost and Sullivan predicts that the Indian municipal

solid waste-to-energy market could be growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7 percent in the very near future.

Waste-to-energy technologies

Energy is recovered from biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste through thermal, thermo-chemical, biochemical and electrochemical methods. ♦♦ Thermal Conversion: The process involves thermal degradation of waste under high temperature and it is then that complete oxidation of the waste occurs. The major technological option under this category is incineration. But incineration has been losing

attention because of its emission characteristics. ♦♦ Thermo-chemical conversion: This process entails high temperaturedriven decomposition of organic matter to produce either heat energy or fuel oil or gas. These are useful for wastes containing high percentage of organic nonbiodegradable matter and low moisture content. The main technological options under this category include Pyrolysis and Gasification. The products of these processes (producer gas, exhaust gases etc) can be used purely as heat energy or further processed chemically, to produce a range of end products. ♦♦ Bio-chemical conversion: This process is based on enzymatic decomposition of organic matter by microbial action to produce methane gas, and alcohol etc.

This process, on the other hand, is preferred for wastes having high percentage of organic, biodegradable (putrescible) matter and high level of moisture/ water content, which aids microbial activity. The major technological options under this category are anaerobic digestion (biomethanation) and fermentation. Of the two, anaerobic digestion is the most frequently used method for waste to energy generation, while fermentation is still emerging. ♦♦ Electrochemical conversion: Electrochemical conversion in the context of waste to energy concept refers typically to microbial fuel cells (MFC). These systems are developed to trap energy from wastes, where the reduction-oxidation machinery of immobilised microbial cells is catalytically exploited, for the accelerated transfer of electrons from organic wastes, to generate electricity and bio-hydrogen gas.

However, this methodology needs extensive evaluation studies on bulk scale liquid waste treatments and stands at a nascent level in India as well as worldwide. www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

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COVER STORY

Demand-side Management

TWEAKING DEMAND to fine-tune supply India continues to add generation capacity year on year, but the gap between demand and supply of power remains wide for want of innovative systems of incentives and penalties to encourage judicious use of electricity Team Urban Update

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ndia’s power sector has more than doubled its installed capacity, from over 1,00,000 MW in 2001 to about 2,28,722 MW in 2013, but the government is still 24 April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

struggling to overcome the chronic power shortage and poor quality of power supplied owing to inefficiency in power generation, distribution and end-use system. And, the inefficiency

in the end-use system is caused due to irrational tariffs, technological obsolescence of industrial processes and equipment, lack of awareness, nascent energy services (ESCO) industry and

COVER STORY inadequate policy drivers, like energy efficiency standards and labelling system.

Having relied on supply-side resources for decades, now there is widespread agreement among various distribution companies (Discoms) that restoration of the financial health of the sector can come about only through demand-side initiatives. That is why, they are bringing demand-side management (DSM) programmes into the mainstream of available resources.

Being the power suppliers, electricity utilities are best placed in the power ecosystem to manage the demand of their consumers through ingeniously designed DSM programmes.

Discoms in action

Demand-side management involves the actions of a Discom to alter the end-use of electricity — whether it is to increase demand, decrease it, shift it between high- and low-peak periods, or manage it when there are intermittent load demands — with the sole objective of reducing costs of utility. In other words, DSM is implementation of those measures that help customers use electricity more efficiently and in a manner that helps utilities keep their costs low.

Broadly speaking, demand-side management can be achieved through: ♦♦ Improving the efficiency of enduse through better housekeeping, correcting energy leakages, system conversion losses, etc ♦♦ Developing and promoting energy

efficient technologies; and ♦♦ Demand management by adopting soft options like rationalising rates during peak and off-peak hours, seasonal tariffs, interruptible tariffs, etc

DSM and Power Quality

The Indian perspective

In India, attempts have been made to achieve DSM through energy efficiency, which is reduction of kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy consumption, or demand load management, which is reduction of kilowatts (kW) of power demand or displacement of demand to off-peak times. Coming under the first category are programmes such as awareness generation, customer or vendor rebates for efficient equipment, etc., while the latter includes time-of-use tariffs, interruptible tariffs, direct load control, etc. Specific programmes depend on the objective of a utility, like peak clipping, load shifting, strategic conservation or strategic load growth.

Reductions in energy demand and consumption at the user’s end can save electricity generation, transmission and distribution entities the costs required to provide new capacity. The value of thus saved energy is, however, estimated to be as low as 10 percent of the cost of added capacity for some DSM measures. In addition to avoided and deferred capacity costs, support for energy efficiency at its customers’ installations brings a utility into closer contact with its clients, often resulting in better services, and allowing a more efficient future planning process.

DSM and Energy Efficiency Often the terms energy efficiency and DSM are erroneously used interchangeably.

DSM explicitly refers to all those activities that involve deliberate interventions by a utility so as to alter the consumer’s load profile, while energy efficiency is used in an all encompassing sense and includes any activity that would directly or indirectly lead to an increase in energy efficiency. Put differently, a programme that encourages customers to install energy-efficient lighting systems through a rebate initiative would fall under DSM, while customer purchases of energy-efficient lighting as a reaction to the perceived need for conservation would be energy efficiency gains.

Link between quality and reliability of power supply and energy efficiency is self-evident. The primary casualty on account of indifferent power supply is reduced end-use efficiency. Use of voltage stabilisers, battery-powered inverters and robust yet low-efficiency water motors-pumpsets point out to the coping strategy employed by consumers at the cost of efficiency. Improvement in quality of power supply is sine qua non to achieving higher enduse efficiency. Quality improvement also has its own positive implications. Experience tells us that consumers are willing to pay higher prices if there is commensurate improvement in quality and reliability of power supply.

The improvement in power quality and hence energy efficiency has major socio-political implications. A subject of considerable political sensitivity is one associated with tariff increases for power supply to the urban poor. DSM and energy efficiency has the inherent potential to mitigate the rising impact of such politically-sensitive tariffs through an integrated programme of metering, installation of conservation devices and efficient system operation and maintenance. www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

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COVER STORY Gujarat Model Utility-driven DSM delivers Utility-driven DSM programmes in India have been limited largely to non-agricultural sectors due to various issues.

In one of the first DSM programmes in India, the Ahmedabad Electricity Company (AEC) was set up in 1994 that has worked with customers to develop load research data, screen alternative energy efficiency measures and implement some of those measures through involvement of energy service companies (ESCOs).

Two ESCOs have worked with AEC to implement efficient lighting and reactive power compensation (through capacitor installations) measures that has led to peak load savings of about 10 percent, thereby reducing the need for expensive imported power in peak load hours.

The ESCOs have raised finances from institutions like the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd (IREDA) and have installed efficient equipment on customers’ premises on guaranteed performance basis.

The utility, AEC, escrows the savings which are used for loan repayments and ESCO charges.

Similar DSM cells have been established in Tamil Nadu Electricity Board . They have also been established more recently, at Jaipur Discom, one of the unbundled distribution utilities of the erstwhile Rajasthan State Electricity Board.

Experiences from other countries in the world have suggested that in India also, the future success of DSM would be driven with the active and sustained support of regulators.

They will have to incorporate provisions that would provide incentives for utilities to promote DSM programmes.

26 April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

The concept of DSM becomes relevant for urban areas in India, as municipal bodies often lack sufficient institutional capacity to develop practical approach or maximise efficiency despite recognising the potential benefits. The urban local bodies (ULBs) require to develop proper approach and model to identify energy efficiency projects and implementation strategy for an efficient energy management. The goal of energy management must be on provision of services like drinking water and street lights at least costs and with least environmental effect.

It’s high time the ULBs focussed on energy efficiency initiatives. Trends for special separate provisions for energy conservation/efficiency projects/ activity is not all that positive, as very few cities have separate allocations in their budgets for any energy efficiency initiative.

‘Win-win’ for all

DSM programmes benefit customers, the programme sponsor and the society at large in the below-given ways: ♦♦ Customer’s gain: As a customer strategy, DSM programmes encourage installation and use

Must-dos for successful DSM ♦♦ Creation of DSM cell in each Distribution Company ♦♦ Systematic load research ♦♦ Preparation of DSM plan and provision of adequate budget to support the plan ♦♦ Mechanism for recovery of DSMrelated cost

of end-use technologies that will use less energy, thereby reducing and/or shifting the customers’ overall electric bill.

Energy efficient technologies also have higher efficiency operating characteristics and they tend to last longer, thus reducing the operation and maintenance cost. This is especially true for programmes that encourage use of high-efficiency heating, cooling, ventilation equipment (HVAC), energy-efficient lighting, and process technologies, such as fans

COVER STORY and motors. So, the energy savings more than offset the higher first costs of these technologies. ♦♦ Utility’s benefit: Utilities can also benefit from these reductions or shifts in customer energy use. For some utilities, DSM programmes can help them reduce their peak power purchases from the wholesale market, thereby lowering their overall cost of operations. In the short term, a DSM programme can reduce energy costs for utilities, and in the long term, such programmes

can help limit the need for utilities to build new power plants, and distribution and transmission lines. In short, a DSM programme can be much cheaper to implement than building a new generating plant. ♦♦ Society gains: Reduced or shifted energy usage can directly translate into less air pollution, less carbon emissions and a way to lower the potential environmental threats associated with global warming. DSM programmes are a promising alternative strategy

to the increased concerns utilities and government agencies now have regarding global warming and carbon emissions.

DSM measures and increased electricity end-use efficiency can together mitigate power shortages to some extent and drastically keep in check power capacity expansion cost. So, there is a need to address these issues on a priority through integrated and comprehensive approach and by adopting latest techniques and technologies with active participation of all stakeholders.

The other route to sufficiency Current DSM programmes

R Hari kumar Hon. General Secretary Society of Energy Engineers & Managers www.energyprofessional.in

Demand-side management (DSM) programmes are very relevant in the Indian context. Given the indiscreet way we use power and fuel — be it in our homes, offices, industry (with exception to large industries which have the money and manpower to look into such issues), transport or in agriculture — there is a growing realisation that we would not be able to scale up our generation to meet the burgeoning power demands. That makes DSM not just desirable but necessary.

The ongoing DSM programmes have the potential to deliver. However, the scale of those programmes fall short of the requirement, if DSM programmes were to be treated as energy generation devices. Power can be generated in a power plant of 300MW with 100 people, but 300MW of similar power generation will require a massive drive and mass campaigns; 100 people cannot do that job.

It would call for participation at all levels, and collaboration of NGOs, businesses, educational institutions, etc. This participatory model is missing today. The state energy agencies supposed to facilitate DSM programmes do not have the passion to work on such schemes.

Measures for the urban India

If we keep aside the transport energyrelated issues, which is slowly being addressed through metros and monorails, the fast increasing power requirements in urban areas are for 2Cs — cooling (air-conditioners) and cooking (induction cook tops) purposes.

No matter what efficiency enhancement can be brought about through technological advancements, to that

level or even more, demand for power to run ACs in Indian urban areas is sure to shoot. Estimates indicate that by 2030, we would require 300 electricity units of 500MW to power the ACs alone. So, in addition to efficiency enhancement (through star-labelled products), we need to educate the masses through DSM programmes to: ♦♦ Adopt building designs that make those cool by keeping excessive solar penetration at bay; ♦♦ Be rational in operating/ maintaining buildings without keeping its windows closed; ♦♦ Be innovative by applying white paint over the concrete roof to deflect solar radiation; and ♦♦ Respect the traditional wisdom of planting trees to have green cover.

There are not many such houses constructed/operated/maintained in cities in the country that can be show-cased and declared as a model building for people to come, see and replicate. Simply because DSM programmes are driven by engineers, those need not necessarily be technology driven; there is a need to co-opt psychologists and sociologists to that team to convince the public to be ‘energy modest’. www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

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COVER STORY

28 April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

Power-ful

Buildings Amid growing concerns about rising energy demands and impacts of climate change globally, the net-zero building concept as a way to reduce dependence on conventional sources of energy is gaining momentum in the country Team Urban Update

COVER STORY

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mong the various sectors, building sector is one that is gulping down a sizable amount of energy resources at a fast pace and causing adverse impact on the environment. Buildings not only consume the natural resources but also are responsible for a good share of GHG emissions, climate change, water pollution, water scarcity and other associated impacts on health and environment.

Amid growing concerns about rising energy demands and impacts of climate change globally, a possible way out seems making homes that can significantly reduce energy use by incorporating energy-efficient strategies into the design, construction and operation of new buildings, and undertake retrofits to improve the efficiency of existing buildings while reducing the dependency on fossil fuels through greater use of on-site and off-site renewable energy sources.

Emerging concept

This is where the concept of a Net Zero Building (NZB) emerges, through which one can generate as much energy as it uses over the course of a year. Currently, there are only a small number of buildings that meet the criteria of ‘net zero’ structures.

However, on account of advances in construction technologies, renewable energy systems and academic research, constructing NZBs is becoming more and more feasible.

These buildings reduce strain on existing infrastructure and demonstrate the possibilities of energy-positive sustainable environmental practices. In addition, such buildings also help raise the bar in terms of design, and challenge architects, engineers and construction managers to strive for the next generation building spaces.

In fact, the Net Zero Building concept is an extension to the genre of ‘green building technologies.

Buildings constructed on this concept have minimum ecological impact over the years, compared to the

Main intent of green constructions is to conserve resources and at the same time, offer comfortable conditions to the occupants by reducing adverse impacts on environment by using the 3R approach

Pankaj Srivastava COO, Maitreya Realtors & Construction Pvt Ltd

Stumbling block ♦♦ A major barrier for green buildings is the notion that these are costly ♦♦ Construction costs may be sometimes higher than conventional buildings, but these investments can be recouped within three to five years ♦♦ One-time investment costs during construction may be 8-10 percent higher, but maintenance and operating costs work out substantially lower in the long run

Advantage ‘Net Zero’ ♦♦ A net zero building can be autonomous and independent from the energy grid supply ♦♦ The energy required can be harvested on-site, usually through a combination of renewable sources like solar, wind and biomass ♦♦ Net zero buildings reduce energy demand and consumption, and performance pressure and cost of on-site renewable sources of energy

India’s first green office building ♦♦ Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently dedicated India’s first net zero building — Indira Paryavaran Bhawan — to the nation ♦♦ Constructed at a cost of Rs 209 crore, the Delhi-based building can accommodate about 600 officials of the Ministry of Environment and Forests ♦♦ With an installed capacity of 930kw peak power, the building has the largest roof-top solar system among multi-storied buildings in India ♦♦ The electricity generated here is fed to the local grid of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) ♦♦ The building is designed in a way that 75 percent of natural daylight is utilised to reduce energy consumption ♦♦ Having earthquake-resistant structure with a total plinth area of 31,488sqm, the building covers only 30 percent of the plot area ♦♦ More than 50 percent area around the building is a soft area with plantation and grassing

www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

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COVER STORY

Shunya – a net zero home

conventional buildings that require fossil fuels to be habitable and meet the needs of building occupants.

Buildings should be designed with an approach of generating comfort to its occupants while also taking into consideration the life-cycle impacts of all components and systems. This new approach transcends traditional building-making disciplines and requires optimum planning, aesthetic design, and equipment and sustainable building material selection with long-term operation and maintenance goals in sight for the real estate developers.

Way to ‘net zero’ buildings

‘Shunya’ is a model net zero housing project in the Delhi-NCR region that demonstrates how a man can both live sustainably and contribute to the planet by adopting sustainable living standards and reducing its carbon footprint without compromising on the comforts and aesthetics one aspires for in a home.

Shunya, a green initiative of the 3C Company, was created keeping in focus the concept of zero waste, zero water and netzero energy. It works on attaining maximum efficiency in energy, material, water as well as waste minimisation. The structure came up over a 25-day period by using redundant cargo containers and other waste materials, thus making the house a working model of a net zero energy home.

30 April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

This house raises the bar on energy efficiency, as it produces as much energy as it uses on annual basis.

To reach net-zero level, the design team reduced to bare minimum the energy demands of the building using innovative active and passive building design strategies, like proper building orientation, use of courtyard and verandahs, effective building envelope, sun light, natural ventilation, radiant cooling, sensor-based lighting, etc.

“Shunya is an effort to create sustainable house which balances responsibility towards environment and resource efficiency with human comfort and wellbeing,” says Sheetal Rakheja, Director, Design & Development – the architects of Shunya project.

Proper orientation planning — natural ventilation, sun movement, day lighting, careful selection of glazing and placement, passive architecture design techniques, water conservation methods, shading devices, etc. — can reduce energy demand in a building.

Once the energy demand of the building is reduced, it should be fitted with energy-efficient equipment and systems, such as energy-efficient lights, lighting dimmer controls, highperformance HVAC systems and energy-efficient pumps, among others, for optimised energy performance.

The renewable energy systems should also have high efficiency and performance so as to achieve the goal of net zero building.

Most such buildings are also connected to the electricity grids, allowing for the electricity produced from the traditional energy sources to be used when renewable energy generation cannot meet the building’s energy load.

When, conversely, on-site energy generation exceeds the building requirement, the surplus energy is exported to the utility grid, if allowed by authorities. The excess energy production offsets later periods of excess demand.

Owing to the available technologies and cost factor associated with energy storage, grid connection is the need of the day to enable net zero energy balance in the buildings.

COVER STORY

Retrofitting can energise buildings

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ast depleting reserves of fossil fuels have spurred the mankind into action to explore alternative means to satisfy the future energy needs while also optimising the utilisation of the existing resources. Growth in urban populace is not a new phenomenon, but what still needs to be worked out is the course of action needed to meet the energy demands of the growing cities.

A survey of 132 countries indicated that the nations ranking high on sustainable development scale tend to have higher usage of renewable energy. The renewable energy technologies have also helped reduce the harmful effects of the green house gases (GHGs). So, there is a need to adopt them in the building sector too.

Now, while modern buildings are already fitted with latest devices to some extent for optimising the use of electricity, it is the old structures – government buildings, housing and educational institutions – that lack energy efficiency measures and loosely account for about 80-85 percent of the total energy consumed in the sector.

Financing retro projects

Although financial gains from improved efficiency in the existing buildings can far exceed the costs incurred, the retrofitting projects are undertaken at a limited scale due to issues like meeting the cost of refurbishing.

Therefore, a major move towards energy efficiency can be revamping of financing mechanism by financial institutions for refurbishing old and dilapidated structures to incorporate renewable and clean energy regime, so that the upfront financial burden of consumers in retrofitting projects is lowered significantly. This can scale up refurbishment projects.

Financial rewards from improved energy efficiency in existing buildings can be far greater than the costs incurred, but not many retrofitting projects are undertaken due to financial constraints

Two models have been widely talked about for financing refurbishment of infrastructures:

Green Fund

Under this model, financial institutions can offer soft loans through private financing to cover the upfront costs of refurbishing existing buildings. Rating agencies can be hired to inspect the level of energy savings projected in the proposal before the loan is sanctioned. For repayment of loans, additional charges can be levied on the refurbished buildings’ bills for property tax, and electricity, water and maintenance charges after taking into account the savings on energy bills up to the next 25 years or so.

Advait Aundhkar Advisory Consultant AIILSG

Impact Bonds

Under this arrangement, respective urban local bodies can mobilise finances by issuing bonds to fund refurbishment of buildings. Urban Local Bodies can appoint a financial institution or form an SPV to undertake issuance of bonds and undertake their contracts. Large loans to institutions and residential buildings can be provided based on the property’s valuation and assessment (including property title and tax payment records).

This loan is repaid through a special energy saving cess, property tax or through utility bills. This concept is also known as “Pay as you Save Plan”.

Advantages

♦♦ Financing enables building owners to pay back loans incrementally ♦♦ More people can invest in the long-term efficiency gains without the concern that they may end up paying just the costs ♦♦ Under both schemes, if the property is sold before the end of the repayment period, the new

owner inherits the remaining repayment obligation

Hindrances

♦♦ Complicated procedure: Procedure for financing programmes may be too complicated to understand for many lender citizens and investors ♦♦ Need for coordination: Governments need to coordinate with financing institutions, local authorities, utilities companies, rating agencies and building owners, among others ♦♦ Associated risks: There are chances of resistance from affected citizens against adding additional risk to residential mortgages.

Direct your queries to

aundhkar@gmail.com

www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

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COVER STORY

Using sun to light nights India, like most other countries, is making some sincere efforts to meet the ever-shooting power demands in its cities while also keeping them green and clean through use of renewable energy such as solar power Team Urban Update

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hought of cities brings alive the images of the bizarre pace of urbanisation happening around us. By now, it is a penetrated notion that the growth of better opportunities will continue to spur migration to cities from far and near rural pockets.

But, our cities are yet to fully prepare themselves to accommodate this fast swelling urban population and its demands for even basic amenities.

One such continuous demand has been that of energy, which has seen a steady rise over the decades. Local administrations, policy makers and decision-making bodies across the globe face the disparity of huge influx of population and, the unending power demand. And it’s no different in India as well, where the cities as well

32 April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

as the governments are trying hard to meet people’s energy requirements.

Reliable & renewable energy

With several Indian cities and towns experiencing rapid growth in the peak electricity demand, the local governments and the electricity utilities had been facing a harrowing time coping with the acute crisis. As a result, most of the cities/towns face electricity shortages. It was under similar scenario in 2013 that Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) designed the “Development of Solar Cities” programme to help urban local bodies prepare a roadmap to guide cities in becoming ‘renewable energy cities’ or ‘solar cities’.

Under the programme, an action plan has been prepared for a total of

The first steps ♦♦ Have a “Solar City Cell” and constitute “Solar City Stake Holders Committee” ♦♦ Promote National Rating System for construction of energy-efficient green buildings ♦♦ Amend building by-laws for making solar water heating mandatory in certain categories of buildings ♦♦ Provide rebate in property tax to the users of solar water heaters especially in the domestic sector ♦♦ Organise rigorous publicity and training programmes for various stake holders ♦♦ Generate necessary funds from state governments and other funding organisations for the purpose

COVER STORY 60 towns and cities proposed to be supported for development as “solar cities” or “green cities“, and plans for 36 of them have been finalised. The cities would be guided on how to utilise renewable energy and introduce policies for promoting the initiatives while also combating the green house gas emissions. The objectives of the solar city, as envisaged by the government, include minimum 10 percent reduction in the projected demand of conventional energy at the end of five years through a combination of efforts like enhancement of supply from renewable energy sources and adoption of energy efficiency measures. The basic purpose is to motivate the local governments for adopting renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency measures.

In a solar city, all types of renewable energy-based projects — solar, wind, biomass, small hydro and waste-toenergy — may be installed, along with possible energy efficiency measures depending on the need and availability of resources.

Govt intervention

As part of its initiatives, the MNRE launched various programmes in the

urban sector to promote solar water heating systems in homes, hotels, hostels, hospitals and industry; deployment of SPV systems/devices in urban areas for demonstration and awareness generation; establishment of ‘Akshya Urja Shops’; designing of solar buildings; and promoting use of urban and industrial waste/ biomass in energy projects. The solar city programme aims to consolidate all the efforts and address the urban energy problem in a holistic manner. The Centre has also assured to provide financial support up to Rs 50 lakh for each of the respective state governments for preparation of a master plan, awareness generation and capacity building activities.

The ministry has been implementing an interest-free subsidy scheme for many years now to provide soft loans to the users of solar water heaters through banks and other financial institutions. The programme also aims at including proposals for carbon financing.

Identification of cities

The cities are identified based on their population, potential and commitment for adoption of renewable

Surat close to becoming first ‘solar city’ By producing nearly 3.35 lakh units of solar power per annum, India’s ‘Diamond City’ is well on way to achieve ‘solar city’ status very soon. Surat is to become one of the solar cities in India under the solar mission of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). The city has solar roof-top panels with a capacity to generate 1,250 kilowatt (kW) functional at 15 places.

The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) started production of solar power last April by installing 500 kW solar panels atop the Science Centre and has produced a total of 1.35 lakh units of electricity in a year.

There are roof-top panels installed at Katargam water works, eight water distribution centres, Varachha and Limbayat zone office, Narmad library building, SMIMER College and the SMC’s main building at Mugalsarai. In all, they have a capacity of 750kW. The civic body is planning to expand the solar power generation capacity to 3,000 kW by the end of 2015. The SMC aims to achieve its goal of producing more than 90 percent of its energy requirements through non-conventional sources by 2015-16.

Large-scale industries will have to be persuaded to produce more green energy, as SMC’s green energy production constitutes only a very small part of the city’s total energy requirements.

energy and energy conservation activities, initiatives in promoting renewable energy and energy conservation, regulatory measures taken on deployment of renewable energy technologies and their willingness to provide resources and sustenance of activities initiated under the programme.

The 60 cities proposed to be developed as solar cities were selected based on a model already in practice in New York in the United States, Tokyo in Japan and London in Britain.

Like these Western countries, India too targets a 10 to 20 percent carbon emission reduction in as many years.

India, where most regions enjoy nearly 300 sunny days a year, is an ideal market for solar power companies. However, the high cost of lightto-electricity conversion -- at Rs 12 to Rs 20 per kWh (kilowatt-hour) -- has acted as a deterrent so far.

National solar mission

Even though numerous measures are still being taken to promote the use of renewable energy, India has been boasting of an effective initiative to contribute majorly to the need of having green energy sources in the country since 2010 when it introduced the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNSM) under the MNRE. The objective of the mission is to establish India as a global leader in solar energy by creating the policy conditions for its diffusion across the country and enabling environment for solar technology penetration in the country both at centralised and decentralised levels.

The first phase up to 2013 focussed on capturing the low hanging options in solar thermal to promote off-grid systems to serve populations without access to commercial energy and modest capacity addition in gridbased systems. In the second phase, after taking into account the experience of the initial years, the capacity would be aggressively revamped to create conditions for up-scaled and competitive solar energy penetration in the country. www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

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COVER STORY

LEDs for A Brighter India While the efforts to facilitate energy-efficient lighting systems in India leave much to be desired, the increase in consumption of LED lighting devices in almost every sector keeps the hopes of the country meeting power demands via energy efficiency alive Jessy Iype, Desk Editor & Reporter

I

n the backdrop of limited energy resources for a fastfrowing population, the concept of energy efficiency has been embraced globally as a step towards meeting the ever-rising power demands of the country.

In the Indian sub-continent, meeting the energy requirements of an ever-growing urban population is a virtually very difficult task in itself.

The supply-demand gap has widened over the years as people continue to move to cities and urban centres in search of opportunities with high growth in consumtion and thereby result in both Government and the industries feeling the desperate need for energy efficiency.

34 April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

Lighting as a necessity

Lighting accounts for nearly 15 percent of the country’s total energy as against 7-10% in developed countries.

For a developing economy like India, the concept of energy efficiency brings immense economic sense through resource base and reduction in pollution level. Lighting plays an import role in urban planning, to illuminate our households, to safeguard essential needs of the industries, to control the flow of traffic, to run hospitals and organisations, and much more.

A range of efficient lighting devices available in the market can also help reduce the carbon emissions that nearly choke the environment.

Yet to be tried and tested

Unfortunately, achieving the goal of energy-efficient lighting has proved to be hard and elusive. The enormous market for energy-efficient lighting has spawned off a huge racketeers in fake and substandard lighting solutions that has hampered our efforts towards realizing our goals.

The market is flooded with hoarding, cheap rip-offs, and fake lighting products dumped on consumers.

Sharing his views with Urban Update, V Chandrashekar, Executive Director and Director of Marketing, Epic Energy Ltd, says, “India needs to regulate the lighting sector with mandatory ISI hallmarking, due to the rampant fake products that threaten

COVER STORY

A Drain On Power Conventional lighting systems like incandescent bulbs are huge drain on our limited power resources. Here is the low down:

1.9 10 90 400 10000 A fifth of global lighting produces 1.9bn tons of Co2 every year

Incandescent bulbs use only 10% of the energy to produce light

These lights waste 90% of the energy while producing light that we use

India has 400 million light points lit by incandescent bulbs

The savings in Megawatt, if we all started using energy efficient lights like CFL and LEDs

Bachat Lamp Yojana Launched in in February 2009, the “Bachat Lamp Yojana” is a programme that aimed to replace large-scale incandescent bulbs in households with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) at similar costs.

The scheme provides a unique platform for a robust public-private partnership between (PPP) the Government of India, private sector CFL suppliers and state level electricity distribution companies (Discoms).

It provides a framework to distribute high quality CFLs at about Rs 15 per piece to households across the country. Under the scheme, 60 Watt and 100 Watt incandescent lamps are replaced with 11-15 Watt and 20 -25 Watt CFLs, respectively.

A Boon ♦♦ CFLs provide an energy-efficient alternative to incandescent lamp by using one-fifth of electricity to provide the same level of illumination ♦♦ CFLs have completely penetrated the commercial market, and the sales of CFLs in India have grown from about 20 million in 2003 to around 250 million currently ♦♦ Penetration of CFLs in households is only about 5-10% ♦♦ Low level of penetration of CFLs is largely due to their high prices, which cost 8-10 times as much as incandescent bulbs

Reusable Lighting Reusable lighting is the new buzzword being bandied about in environmentfriendly atmosphere. Lights are generally made using mercury and gases, like nitrogen and neon. Reusing normal tube lights is a cumbersome task in itself, says Mr. Gulshan Aghi, CEO of Trilux Lighting (India) Pvt Ltd. “But, LED lights are eco-friendly and easy to recycle as their glasses can be melted down for use in other useful applications.”

“By 2020, the LED will have to be taken to 50 percent level in almost all sectors, as per a BIS estimate, to ensure energy-efficiency initiatives in the country,” added Mr Gulshan.

the good effects of efficient lighting.”

There are numerous companies and organisations vying for energy-efficient lighting, but the parallel industry in the sector necessitates that the country wakes up to the dark truth of black marketeers and phoney lighting products in the market, Shekhar added.

Reusable lighting products

Recycling is a term used to ensure green initiatives to procure an environment-friendly atmosphere. Lights are generally made using mercury and gases, like nitrogen and neon, and to reuse the normal tube lights is in itself a cumbersome task, says the CEO of Trilux Lighting (India) Pvt Ltd, Gulshan Aghi. “But, with the LEDs, the nagging problem can find a viable solution. LED lights are eco-friendly and easy to recycle as their glasses can be melted down for use in other applications.”

“By 2020, the LED lighting will have to be taken to 50% level in almost all sectors. The figure is based on BIS estimates of the efforts taken to ensure energy-efficiency initiatives in the country,” added Gulshan.

LED Lighting

LEDs have been blazing a trail over the last few years, rapidly displacing conventional lighting technologies. Their lesser maintenance costs and eco-friendliness have popularised them among outdoor and indoor lighting applications. Unlike incandescent bulbs, LEDs produce heat but do not dissipate it, making them one of the greenest light sources. The government has been making efforts to boost energy-efficiency by adopting LEDs for street lighting in major cities and for aThe outstanding energy efficiency of LED (40 to 60 percent more than conventional lighting technologies), lesser maintenance costs and eco-friendliness have popularised them among outdoor and indoor lighting applications.

Unlike heat-emissive light sources, such as incandescent bulbs, LEDs produce heat but do not dissipate it, making them one of the greenest light sources available.

The government has been making efforts to boost energy-efficient lighting technologies by adopting LEDs for street lighting in major cities and for architectural lighting for monuments.

Direct your queries to

jessy@urbanupdate.in

www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

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36 April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

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he Mother Earth is a treasure house of natural resources, which the human race has been using since time immemorial for its benefit and comfort. The rate of consumption of natural resources today overshoots the Earth’s biological capacity by about 20 percent. Going by the world’s ecological footprint, which compares the consumption of renewable natural resources with nature’s biologically productive capacity, it would take 1.2 Earths to regenerate resources to match the rate of consumption. Excessive use of these resources has lead to their scarcity and soon we won’t have them anymore.

Using these valuable resources in an efficient manner is the need of the hour. Among all different sectors, construction sector is the one, which is utilising the resources at a rapid pace and posing a threat to our environment. Buildings are not only consuming the natural resources but are also responsible for their contribution to the problems like air pollution, climate change, water pollution, excess waste generation and other related impacts on health and environment.

Energy soaker

As a major portion of the global energy is used by the building sector, there is a close link between energy consumption by buildings and climate change. Globally, buildings are responsible for at least 40 percent of energy use. Buildings, when taken into account their construction and operational periods, consume an estimated 42 percent of the global water consumption and 50 percent of the global consumption of raw materials.

Besides, construction activities contribute an estimated 50 percent of the world’s air pollution, 42 percent of the greenhouse gases, 50 percent of water pollution, 48 percent of solid wastes and 50 percent of all CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) to the environment.

India is witnessing tremendous growth in infrastructure and construction development.

The construction industry in India

is one of the largest economic activities and is growing at an average rate of 9.5 percent as compared to the Global average of 5 percent. As this sector is growing rapidly, the task of preserving the environment brings along a host of challenges.

Green Building concept

However, the Green Building concept has emerged globally as a sustainable approach as well as a solution to overcome these problems. The concept with an inclusive approach has the potential to transform the existing communities into sustainable communities.

Besides, there are several organisations – including the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) and the Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) – working towards making the construction industry environmentally compatible as well as responsible. The CII – Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre established the IGBC, a consensus driven not-for-profit council representing the building Industry and consists of more than 1,150 committed members.

The Council encourages builders, developers, owners, architects and consultants to design and construct green buildings to enhance their economic and environmental performance. The Green Building movement in India has been super headed by the IGBC since 2001, by creating national awareness. The Council ac-

tivities have triggered a market transformation with regard to the Green Building concept materials and technologies. It works ceaselessly to provide tools that facilitate the adoption of green building practices in India.

According to the IGBC, a Green Building is one that uses less water, optimises energy efficiency, conserves the natural resources, generates less waste and provides healthier spaces for occupants as compared to a conventional building.

The concept behind the green buildings is rediscovery of an Indian ethos, i.e. five elements of the nature - Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Sky. The IGBC has defined various rating systems and a sustainable approach to adopt for different types of project developments.

These rating systems have been used by various developers for their projects across India. Currently, 2,285 Buildings are registered with the IGBC. The growth of green building footprint in India has reached 1.72 billion sq.ft. At present, 427 buildings are certified by the IGBC. The GRIHA is another rating tool, developed by TERI in association with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) that helps people assess the performance of their building against certain nationally acceptable benchmarks. It evaluates the environmental performance of a building holistically over its entire lifecycle, thereby providing a definitive standard for what constitutes a ‘green building’. The rating system, based on

Buildings and Energy ♦♦ A major portion of the global energy is used by the building sector ♦♦ Globally, buildings consume about 40 percent of energy ♦♦ Adding construction and operation periods, buildings consume 42 percent of the global water consumption ♦♦ Buildings consume 50 percent of the global consumption of raw materials

www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

37

COLUMN

Eco Un-friendly ♦♦ Energy consumption by buildings and climate change are closely linked ♦♦ Construction activities contribute an estimated 50 percent of the world’s air pollution ♦♦ Buildings produce 42 percent of the greenhouse gases ♦♦ 50 percent of all water pollution takes place in buildings ♦♦ Buildings contribute 48 percent of all solid wastes ♦♦ 50 percent of all CFCs are produced in buildings

accepted energy and environmental principles, seeks to strike a balance between the established practices and emerging concepts, both national and international.

Currently, 425 buildings are registered with GRIHA, with the Green Building footprint in India reaching 1.25 million sq.ft, to date.

The developers, who opt for green buildings, would benefit in many ways from the Central and State Government bodies, if rated favourably. The Ministry of Environment & Forests, New Delhi issued a notification in June 2011 stating that all pre-certified or certified Green Building projects would be considered for faster clearances for environmental approvals.

Even in Noida, a developer can get 0.5 percent hike in FSI, if achieves Green Building Design & Certification.

The Gujarat Model

Several government bodies have also taken initiatives to inspire the communities to adopt green & sustainable living. One such brilliant example is from Gujarat, where four years back Mr Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister, initiated a drive to make the State Capital – Gandhinagar - a clean, green and solar city.

The state government passed a resolution in 2011, through which a Green Building committee was established under the leadership of Dr S K Nanda, the former Principal Secretary, Forest & Environment Department, 38 April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

Government of Gujarat. The main objective of this committee was to promote Green Development. While doing this, the government decided to follow the age-old saying, “Charity begins at Home”, so as to inspire the society by setting a standard, and thus Green Concept was adopted for the then proposed government building, New ParyavaranBhavan of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB).

This building is the first green government building of India to achieve IGBC LEED India NC 2013 GOLD rating. The GPCB has installed an 80kW solar photovoltaic system on this building to meet its cent-per-cent power requirements, thus making it a Net Zero Building. A net zero building is the one that does not or negligibly depends on the conventional sources to fulfill its energy requirements. Such buildings derive their electricity from renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind, hydroelectric etc.

Energy conservation a must

Consumption of energy generated from non-renewable sources is becoming a reason for worry for the country as it is leading to fast depletion of the available resources and causing climate-related adverse effects during its production. Hence, it has become an alarming need of the hour to adopt energy conservation measures at micro level, i.e. individual house level, as well as at macro level, i.e. city level.

To achieve energy efficiency at the city level, the measures should start from creating stringent and, at the same time, incentivised codes. Tough codes would propel every individual to conserve energy and achieve a certain level of energy efficiency in his house, while incentives would encourage them to do the same willingly to perform better.

Efficient infrastructure

Apart from achieving energy efficiency at the micro level, the most important aspect of city-level performance is to achieve efficiency in infrastructure. Infrastructure of a city comprises streets, transportation modes, waste treatment facilities, like solid waste management, sewage treatment plants etc.

To begin with, the corporations should try to incorporate energy-free or renewable energy-based technologies into these infrastructure facilities, which would significantly reduce the demand for electricity. For example, all metro stations, railway stations, airports should be integrated with solar power; STPs/ solid waste management systems should incorporate techniques which do not require electricity and street lights should have energy efficient lights or should be solar lights. These measures can initially seem to be very cost escalating but as they offer quick paybacks, they would definitely prove to be very beneficial in the long run.

Mayor of Curtiba, Brazil has rightly said, “There is no endeavour more noble than the attempt to achieve a collective dream. When a city accepts as a mandate its quality of life; when it respects the people who live in it; when it respects the environment; when it prepares for future generations, the people share the responsibility for that mandate, and this shared cause is the only way to achieve that collective dream.”

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CENTRE STAGE

turning lights off to Switch life on The entire globe sees 60-minute lights-out spectacle during the Earth Hour sweep across the planet in its eighth edition as the Earth Hour 2014 breaks all records of mass participation in over 162 countries and more than 7,000 cities across the world Team Urban Update

T

he world witnessed the March 29 lights-off event happening across the planet as the Earth Hour in its eighth year in 2014 broke all records of people’s participation across the globe.

This time round, the Earth Hour proved the movement is now stronger than ever, as the event was observed in over 162 countries and over 7,000 cities, creating magical lights-off moments in every continent of the world.

The symbolic hour has grown into the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment, with beyond-the-hour activities and initiatives happening throughout the year.

Worldwide celebrations

The Earth Hour 2014 began its journey from New Zealand, where community events were held all over the islands. Moving across to Fiji, islanders hit the Earth Hour fever and the country held a fundraising dinner.

The Earth Hour once again hit the shores of Australia bringing to light the plight of one of the greatest natural wonders on the planet – the Great Barrier Reef, which is under great threat due to climate change and the government’s decision to develop a mega coal and gas ports.

Continuing to the home of the Earth Hour, Singapore celebrated the event empowering the crowd with the message that the people are the true everyday super-heroes of the planet. In China Earth Hour drew attention to the “Blue Sky”, and the need to reduce air pollution and smog.

The lights-off event then swept across the East gaining momentum and switching off lights such as Lotus temple and India Gate in New Delhi, and the Gateway of India in Mumbai. The Earth Hour in India kicked off a year-long educational project that will take place in 15,000 schools across the country, which will help to reduce carbon footprints by recording carbon output, whilst educating chil-

40 April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

dren on the value of efficient energy use.

The participants across the United Arab Emirates were encouraged to switch to energy-efficient lighting, and the world’s tallest building – the Burj Khalifa – and Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque switched off. Iran, sought support for the famous Zayanderud River, where there has been no continuous water flow for the past few years due to climate change and other factors.

The Kremlin and Red Square in Russia turned off lights during the Hour before in Africa, the Great Pyramids of

CENTRE STAGE Giza in Cairo alongside other key landmarks in Egypt plunged into darkness. Cape Town in South Africa also celebrated being awarded the WWF’s Global Earth Hour Capital 2014, in recognition of its pioneering actions to combat climate change.

Lights then went out at famous European landmarks across Europe, including the Acropolis in Greece, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and Brandenburg Gate. In the UK, a live stream event featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor took place as lights went off across landmarks, such as Big Ben, tower bridge, London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abby.

In the South American continent, a day before the Earth Hour, National Senator Ernesto Sanz submitted a bill into the Senate of Argentina. A massive crowd gathered at the Planetario Galileo Galilei in Buenos Aires for the Earth Hour. The Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro switched off, as Victor Civita Square in São Paulo held the site of the official switch-off event in Brazil.

The momentum also picked up in the USA where some of the historic landmarks like Times Square and Empire States Building in New York did the big switch-off.

Cape Town is new ‘Global Earth Hour Capital’ WWF’s Earth Hour City Challenge (EHCC) has awarded Cape Town, South Africa the title Global Earth Hour Capital 2014. The city is recognised for its ambition and pioneering actions to combat climate change in its effort to bolster quality of life for its citizens. It succeeds last year’s winner Vancouver, Canada.

Cape Town stood out as a role model for the global South with a showcase of green programmes and actions other cities can replicate. It also demonstrates how city strategies to reduce carbon development and battle climate change can also help tackle other development priorities such as food, energy and water security.

The city has taken bold steps towards transitioning its energy system away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy with its roll-out of a solar water heating programme. Community engagement on sustainability issues and strong progress with energy efficiency, especially a large-scale retrofitting programme for its buildings, were other pioneering actions highlighted.

Over 160 cities from 14 countries joined the competition, more than double the participation from last year. This year, the jury paid particular attention to each city’s level of ambition and innovation for low carbon development in relation to the local context.

Fewer enthusiasts in Delhi!

The Earth Hour drive, which sees lakhs of homes, shops and markets turn their lights and power connections off for an hour across the planet, has probably fewer takers in the national capital.

The declining trend is evident from the power savings data maintained by power utilities every Earth Hour. For instance, Delhi saved about 300MW in 2010, but it came down to 250MW in 2013. According to data with the New Delhi Power Limited, the power savings have almost halved since 2011 during the Hour.

Traders agree that the campaign is losing steam. “There should be more reminders and events to keep people engaged, said Atul Bhargava, president of the New Delhi Traders Association, adding that he can request the traders to turn off lights, but he cannot force them. A lot of people think that turning off lights will affect their business.

Historical monuments like India Gate, Qutab Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, Red Fort and buildings have, however, switched off lights over the years to show solidarity with the global drive. www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

41

PRODUCTS

Ruukki’s bridge devices All bridges need maintenance at regular intervals and Ruukki’s bridge products ensure that both stakeholders and administrators make optimum usage through on-time deliveries to generate savings on construction time and overall costs. Ruukki Easy Bridge is an innovative bridge structure system based on predesigned standard bridge models that are easy to adapt to project requirements. The solution offers reliable and fast construction at economised rates.

Features ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

Standardised bridge solutions adaptable to project needs Ready-to-install load-bearing superstructures Trapezoidal sections for reinforcing plate structures High-degree prefabrication results in shorter building times Substantially reduces traffic disruptions Mitigates risks involved in construction

Cooper Ecopack gensets

Cooper Corporation is an engine major that manufactures generators ranging from 10 KVA to 200 KVA under the brand name of Cooper Ecopack.

The company provides the best power-packed generators with several outstanding features and benefits like low fuel consumption, smaller in size, light in weight and help save on maintenance cost. It is several times quieter and conforms to the US and European emission norms.

Features

♦♦ Meets the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) noise norms ♦♦ Cooper’s generators conform to the US and European emission norms ♦♦ Are fuel-efficient and consumer-friendly with higher service intervals ♦♦ These gensets assure quality and reliability with maximum uptime ♦♦ Nationwide network provides prompt and efficient post-sale support

Wylie Fortius’ load indicator Wylie Fortius has launched a load indicator which can be installed on mobile or portable devices to alert the operator if the lift is exceeding the safe operating range of the machinery. In some cases, the indicator can physically lock the machinery in circumstances it determines to be unsafe.

The load moment indicator has international certification for its flexibility and safety aspects.

Features

♦♦ Designed for maximum flexibility, it can monitor multiple load inputs ♦♦ It can be used on mobile cranes (Tele and lattice), Electrical Level Luffing Cranes, ELL Grab Cranes, Heavy Lift Crawler Cranes ♦♦ Data logging facility, rapid installation and calibration ♦♦ Audio- visual warnings for overload, motion-cut, rope break, over-hoist ♦♦ Optional: Anti-two block, printer, lateral tilt sensing

42 April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

PRODUCTS

Solid India’s wet mix plant With complete control on quality of mix and production costs, Solid India Ltd’s Wet Mix Macadam Plant is used for base and sub-base construction of roads. These wet mix plants are engineered to deal with the toughest job site necessities and aimed at homogeneous mixing without segregation, precise proportioning and blending of aggregates and additives. The Wet Mix Macadam Plant series is fully equipped to deliver precisely mixed cold mix, cement treated aggregates, base course mixes, etc. Superior constructions along with the best quality ensure maximum reliability and uptime.

Features

EEP’s solar charge controller

♦♦ Modern Wet Mix Macadam technology used ♦♦ Manufactured as per the MORTH specifications ♦♦ Produces high quality mix ♦♦ Portable or stationary, high production rate, easy to operate ♦♦ Highly accurate aggregate and additive feeders

Energy Efficient Product Inc’s (EEP) solar charge controller can be used for charging the battery of a solar panel. It controls the voltage and the current generated by a solar panel while charging the battery in order to protect it.

Solar charge controllers are used as a medium between an electrical load, a battery and a solar panel. The specific solar charge controller on the offer shows the level of the battery charge and can be used with any solar panel up to 100W that generates up to five amps.

Features ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

Requires low maintenance Is shock resistant Ensures durability Has a compact design Delivers optimum quality

Sekisui’s pipeline solution A new era for pipelines rehabilitation has emerged through Sekisui’s pipeline solution - by utilising maintenance management of existing pipelines where first, the status-quo of the pipelines is grasped, and then, it is surveyed and checked up for effective maintenance management.

Features

♦♦ SPR Method: SPR process is unique as it can provide a customised structural solution to aging pipelines and/or a corrosion barrier designed for installation without flow interruption ♦♦ Inspection System: Can be used to inspect damage, crack and reduction of wall thickness quantitatively by analysing distribution of frequency through generating impact elastic waves ♦♦ Image Expansion System: Conduct speedy inspection and diagnosis inside the pipeline, with 190 degree wide range view camera www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

43

EVENTS

Seminar on ICT standards & Conference on Renewable Energy emerging technologies

S

tandardisation, policies and legislation are the fundamental and necessary requirements for any technology or product’s safety, security and evolution. In the world of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), harmonisation of standards is an essential element for interoperability and making services affordable.

With the aim to bring forward the critical issues and challenges being faced by the industry and apprise all about the future technologies on the anvil, the

European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), its Seconded European Standards Expert in India (SESEI), Industry Association and Administration organised Indo-European Dialogue on ICT Standards & Emerging Technologies”, on March 13, 2014 at the Le Meridien, New Delhi.

The seminar provided stakeholders with an update of present and future ETSI standardisation activities and trigger dialogue with Indian stakeholders to assess where potential gaps can be bridged and new venues for collaboration be established.

The agenda took through technologies and standardisation activity being developed in the area of Machine to Machine communication (M2M), Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), improving radio spectrum efficiency, Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), future mobile technologies (5G), security and energy efficiency aspects of technology.

S

olar and wind offer huge potential for power generation that would entail less dependence on fossil fuels and associated benefits. While Tamil Nadu already has significant experience with the generation and transmission of renewable energy, there are concerns relating to speedy deployment of renewable energy.

In order to discuss the above and the related issues in regards to large scale capacity augmentation of solar and wind power in the state, ASSOCHAM organised a conference on “Renewable Energy in Tamil Nadu – Speedy deployment of solar and wind power” on March 20, 2014 at Hotel Le Royal Meridien in Chennai.

The objective of the conference was various regulatory and policy issues relating to development and deployment of renewable energy technologies in Tamil Nadu, and to evolve the implementable solutions to tap huge opportunities existing in the state.

Events Calender International Conference on Green Technologies for Power Generation and Communication (ICGPC) April 3-4, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Two Day’s National Seminar on Poverty - Then and Now Seminar April 5-6, Belgaum, Karanataka Solar Energy India 2014 April 8 - 10, Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre, Gujarat Conference on Tax Issues in Real Estate Sector April 9, Kolkata

44 April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

International Conference on Advances in Sustainability of Materials and Environment April 10-11, Nagercoil, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu International Conference on Innovative Trends for Sustainable Development (APCMET-2014) April 19, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi GRIHA Evaluators & Trainers Programme, April 22-24, IIT (GNG), VGEC Campus, Chandkhera, Ahmedabad

2nd India Smart Grid Summit 2014 April 24-25, Hotel Hyatt Regency New Delhi Green Landscape Summit April 25-26, Suzlon One Earth, Hadapsar, Pune 1st National Power & Energy System Conference (NPESC-2014) April 25-26, Sultanpur, UP Aquatech India 2014 May 6-8, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

EVENTS

Global Garbage Conclave & Awards 2014

Leaders explore wealth in waste piles New Delhi-based Better India Foundation hosts the event to brainstorm on how the arduous task of waste disposal can be turned into a revenuegenerating exercise Team Urban Update

W

aste management is one sector that India lags behind in. And, it is not lack of ways and means of handling the waste to blame, but the role of the people concerned at individual level.

With a clear motive to provide an unbiased, collaborative media and networking platform for the stakeholders of the sector, the “1st Global Garbage Conclave and Awards, 2014” was organised in New Delhi on March 22.

The event was one of the maiden initiatives of Better India Foundation — a trust with a mission to empower and unleash India’s social values, strengths, and economy, founded by alchemist, thinker and media evangelist Santosh Goenka.

The conclave showcased how stake-

holders in the domain can turn the onerous task of waste disposal into a revenue-generating exercise by working in tandem with each other while also guarding the environment against possible hazards.

The occasion saw a distinguished panel discuss vital issues, like e-waste, role of ragpickers, contribution of workers and the risks involved, so as to get the leaders in the space together to brainstorm and come up with a workable solution to achieve the green goals.

Amit Parasnath Kumar of Haribhari group said the waste management operations involve very complex logistics and fleet management functions, including activities like door-to-door collection of garbage every day using specially-designed vehicles, and secondary transportation of garbage from transfer stations to processing plants using sophisticated equipment

What we can do ♦♦ Segregate waste at home; send papers, plastics for recycling ♦♦ Ensure safety equipments like gloves and masks for ragpickers ♦♦ Adhere to waste disposal norms in our cities ♦♦ Make provisions to prevent children from doing menial jobs

like dumpers, compactors and other high-tech machinery.

Waste management companies in India pointed out that the Rs 2,000-crore C&T industry is poised to grow at a CAGR of 7 percent per annum and that it has adequate potential for its further exploitation.

Speaking on the ragpickers’ contribution to the disposal of massive piles of daily waste — India produces about 1,00,000 metric tonnes of garbage daily and the national capital alone adds about 8,000 metric tonnes every day — Shyammali from the National Institute of Urban Affairs dwelt upon how the waste carriers are frowned upon in the society.

“We as Indians assume that disposal of waste generated by us is their job. They (ragpickers) face enormous health problems daily by daring to segregate waste that are harmful, including e-waste like mobiles, computers, etc., which are difficult to burn,” she observed. “No matter how many projects on waste management are launched, unless we as individuals change our perception and dispose of garbage in an environment-friendly manner, we can’t ensure a clean and green society.”

On the occasion, Urban Update as the media partner took a pledge to do its bit towards promoting the cause through written words. www.urbanupdate.in | April 2014

45

URBAN AGENDA

Ill-equipped to offset natural calamities Apresh Chandra Mishra Managing Editor apresh@urbanupdate.in

A

s the cities continue to stretch and expand, an increasingly large number of citizens are becoming exposed to the natural calamities. Going by the data, 58.6 percent of India’s population is prone to earthquakes and 12 percent to river floods, affecting more than 1 million people every year. Nearly 7,200 km out of 7,516 km of the Indian coastline is vulnerable to cyclones and tsunami, and 3 percent of landmass is threatened by landslides. And, all this before taking into account the snow avalanches and droughts!

Threatened cities

The nature strikes at will, every now and then, and the Indian cities are mostly found lacking in resources and means to handle her excesses; it’s time we empowered the calamity-prone cities across the country and in all respects 46 April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

With more than a third of the country falling under the seismic zones IV and V, an earthquake could strike in not too distant future. Some of major cities like Guwahati, Srinagar, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai are located in high seismic zones.

A recent study by Swiss RE declares Kolkata as the world’s 7th riskiest city when it comes to being under threat from all types of natural disasters.

When the analysis looked at urban storms only as a form of natural disaster, Mumbai and Chennai were found to be 8th and 9th most threatened cities, respectively, with 8.3 million people together exposed to risk.

That puts a question: are we

prepared enough to handle natural disasters? And, the obvious reply seems: “Not really!”

The last big natural disaster to have hit the quake- and flood-prone high Himalayas in Uttarakhand caught the state government completely unawares, as it did not pay heed to the Met department’s warning and lacked administrative capability to evacuate people from the disaster zone.

Due to huge diversity in the climatic and geological conditions in the country, it is virtually impossible to create a unified disaster management and post-disaster rehabilitation plan.

So, be it an earthquake in Gujarat (2001), a flooded river in Uttarakhand (2013) or a cyclone in Odisha or Andhra Pradesh (2013), the respective state governments need to foresee, plan and then act with full force.

Lack of resources

Unfortunately, most Indian states do not have sufficient financial resources to save citizens and rehabilitate them.

It is, therefore, crucial to allocate them resources; but such issues are deliberated momentarily in the wake of such extreme events and then forgotten until the next one strikes.

Allocation of resources for an early warning system across the country and training and recruiting scientific manpower for this task is the call of the day to ensure that natural calamities don’t turn into human tragedies.