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2023-08-24

The market size of certified green buildings has gone up significantly. In view of the company’s experience in retrofitting buildings to increase their energy-efficiency by using only renewable energy, R SRINIVASAN spoke to Kiran Dutt, President, Electrification India, ABB India.

Renewable energy can be successfully used to retrofit existing buildings for energy-efficiency. For instance, the decades-old Neelamangala factory in Bengaluru, which was completely redone, now has a Platinum rating from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) with 80 per cent of its power coming from solar energy….
Neelamangala factory is certainly a great story to share with its repurposed building spaces and its emphasis on energy savings and occupant comfort. And it is equally true that existing buildings can become far more energy-efficient. A classic example of is the Disha building, the headquarters of ABB India in Bengaluru. It was an existing building repurposed and completely powered by renewable energy under RE100. The interiors of this three-floor block were redone keeping the shell, with the latest in energy-efficient ArTu switchboards, Emax2 and XT circuit breakers, metering and monitoring at the MCB level. Also, the ABB building management system @ Cylon contributed significantly in energy saving through control of lighting and HVAC. The building uses sunlight very well to keep energy consumption low and, at the same time, multiple monitoring sensors keep air quality and ambience world class to make those working in the building comfortable. It is always challenging to re-tailor or repurpose a building or application; it involves working within the space, within the available orientation and still ensure the best-in-class working ambience. As India urbanises and grows, green buildings will become the norm and efficiency, the driver.