Visakhapatnam still to wake up to green buildings
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VISAKHAPATNAM: Though the green building concept is fast catching up in
India, but it has failed to take off in the Port City, which is touted
to be the second largest investment destination in the state, with
apprehensions over cost and concerns over lack of immediate returns.
Industry sources said that though a slew of construction projects are coming up across Vizag, no green building has been planned either by the private or government sector.
According to experts, misconceptions regarding the cost of constructing green buildings has been the biggest deterrent to companies taking up the eco-friendly solution.
"Compared to non-green buildings, the cost of construction for green structures increases by about 10 to 12 per cent. In addition, the buildings need to have skilled staff to maintain the standards set by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) once the construction is complete," said consulting engineer K Leela Prasad
However, he pointed out that while the concept of green buildings would not be economically sustainable for residential apartments, it would result in long-term savings for privately-owned commercial complexes, hotels and hospitals setting of the initial higher costs.
However, realtor Rama Kotaiah said the concept was becoming popular and that in the next two to three years the chances of a green building coming up in Vizag were very bright. "As of now several complexes have already included 50 to 60 per cent of aspects related to green buildings," he said.
According to the handbook on green practices published by Indian Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE), Vizag Chapter, every one million square feet of commercial green buildings can save about 15 million kWh per year and reduce carbon emissions by about 1200 tonnes per year.
According to IGBC, a green building is one which uses less water, optimises energy efficiency, conserves natural resources, generates less waste and provides healthier spaces for occupants as compared to a conventional building.
Experts said that two-thirds of power consumption can be reduced by using LED lamps and energy efficient transformers. Green buildings promote the construction of sewage treatment plants due to which waste water will be recycled and can be used for purposes such as gardening. Water discharge should be zero and needs to incorporate rainwater harvesting. Even glasses of windows to reduce radiation and selection of paints to increase illumination play a crucial part in promoting the green concept. During construction, maximum effort is taken to use recycled materials such as fly ash ready-mix concrete, aerated concrete blocks and majority bamboo products for flooring. However, several hotels in the city are taking 'small steps' to ensure that they are not left behind in terms of energy conservation. Sources said that a private hotel located on Beach Road is changing its lighting set-up to incorporate LED bulbs, which are energy efficient. Majority of the three star hotels in the city have switched to solar panels to meet their hot water requirements, resulting in huge savings.
Industry sources said that though a slew of construction projects are coming up across Vizag, no green building has been planned either by the private or government sector.
According to experts, misconceptions regarding the cost of constructing green buildings has been the biggest deterrent to companies taking up the eco-friendly solution.
"Compared to non-green buildings, the cost of construction for green structures increases by about 10 to 12 per cent. In addition, the buildings need to have skilled staff to maintain the standards set by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) once the construction is complete," said consulting engineer K Leela Prasad
However, he pointed out that while the concept of green buildings would not be economically sustainable for residential apartments, it would result in long-term savings for privately-owned commercial complexes, hotels and hospitals setting of the initial higher costs.
However, realtor Rama Kotaiah said the concept was becoming popular and that in the next two to three years the chances of a green building coming up in Vizag were very bright. "As of now several complexes have already included 50 to 60 per cent of aspects related to green buildings," he said.
According to the handbook on green practices published by Indian Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE), Vizag Chapter, every one million square feet of commercial green buildings can save about 15 million kWh per year and reduce carbon emissions by about 1200 tonnes per year.
According to IGBC, a green building is one which uses less water, optimises energy efficiency, conserves natural resources, generates less waste and provides healthier spaces for occupants as compared to a conventional building.
Experts said that two-thirds of power consumption can be reduced by using LED lamps and energy efficient transformers. Green buildings promote the construction of sewage treatment plants due to which waste water will be recycled and can be used for purposes such as gardening. Water discharge should be zero and needs to incorporate rainwater harvesting. Even glasses of windows to reduce radiation and selection of paints to increase illumination play a crucial part in promoting the green concept. During construction, maximum effort is taken to use recycled materials such as fly ash ready-mix concrete, aerated concrete blocks and majority bamboo products for flooring. However, several hotels in the city are taking 'small steps' to ensure that they are not left behind in terms of energy conservation. Sources said that a private hotel located on Beach Road is changing its lighting set-up to incorporate LED bulbs, which are energy efficient. Majority of the three star hotels in the city have switched to solar panels to meet their hot water requirements, resulting in huge savings.
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