The purpose of Energy Conservation Building Codes (ECBC) is to provide minimum requirements for energy-efficient design and construction of buildings and their systems.
The building sector represents about 33% of electricity consumption in India, with commercial sector and residential sector accounting for 8% and 25% respectively. Estimates based on computer simulation models indicate that ECBC-compliant buildings can use 40 to 60% less energy than conventional buildings. It is 1.7 billion kWh. The Energy conservation building codes are expected to overcome market barriers, which otherwise result in under-investment in building energy efficient.
The Energy conservation building codes were developed as a first step towards promoting energy efficiency in the building sector. The ECBC (also referred to as “The Code”) is the result of extensive work by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and it’s Committee of experts. It is written in code-enforceable language and addresses the views of the manufacturing, design and construction communities as an appropriate set of minimum requirements for energy-efficient building design and construction.
For developing the code, building construction methods across the country were reviewed and various energy efficient design and construction practices were evaluated that could reduce energy consumption in building. In addition, detailed life cycle cost analyses were conducted to ensure that the Code requirements reflect cost-effectiveness and practices efficiency measures across five different climate zones in India. While taking into account different climate zones, the Code also addresses site orientation and specifies better design practices and technologies that can reduce energy consumption without sacrificing comfort and productivity of the occupants.
The ECBC user guide has been rebelled to provide detailed guidance to building owners, designers, engineers, builders, energy consultants, and others on how to comply with the code. It provide s expanded interpretation, examples, and supplementary information to assist in applying ECBC during the design and construction of new buildings as well as additions and alterations to existing buildings. This guide can also be used as a document by “authorities having jurisdiction” in the enforcement of the code once it is made mandatory. The guide follows the nomenclature of the Code. It is written both as a reference and as an instructional guide, and can be helpful for anyone who is directly or indirectly involved in the design and construction of ECBC-compliant buildings.
(Source: ECBC user guide, pg.1)
